Again
by Inkling39
Summary: The Fourth Shinobi War is over and Sasuke Uchiha is dead. Naruto and Sakura have no choice other than to move forward together, however ghosts of the past are not as dead as they seem. NaruSaku/SasuSaku (mentioned NaruHina)
1. Chapter One: Naruto

**::Again::**

**Chapter One: Naruto**

_"Though lovers be lost, love shall not; And death shall have no dominion." -Dylan Thomas_

* * *

_"I'm so sorry, Naruto." she spoke. _

_Naruto stood numbly before the grave stone, staring at the immortal name that was etched upon it. _

_He felt as if a piece of him, the piece had been missing his whole life... that he just found was gone forever... as if a future, _his_ future had been ripped away from him. _

_"She loved me." he told Sakura as the kunochi came beside him, kneeling before the grave and covering it with fresh and beautiful sunflowers, laying them over the mound individually and delicately. _

_"I know she did." Sakura replied. "I'm glad she got the chance to tell you." _

_"I didn't know, or realize..." Naruto blinked away tears staring skyward. "She loved me the way you loved Sasuke/ I've always wanted to be loved like that, and now she's gone... Sakura, she's gone... I..." _

_Sakura stared numbly at the grave stone, listening to Naruto's sobs. She clutched the material of her black kimono, painfully. There was not much left in her, she didn't know if she could give her friend the solace he needed. Turning her dark emerald gaze toward the gray sky above, she silently asked the Hyuuga heiress for strength as she rose to her feeet shakily. _

_Taking her blonde teammate into her arms, she held him close to her. _

_Naruto clung to her without question, sobbing into her shoulder like a child, lost and scared._

_"Hinata was a beautiful person." Sakura told him. "I wish I had known her better, I think we would have been great friends, I know she is watching over you now."_

_Naruto squeezed her tighter, muffling a painful cry in the sleeve of her shoulder, he collapsed to his knees and pulled her down with her. He felt how thin and bony she had become, he knew she was spiraling further into the abyss of her grief for Sasuke, but he couldn't help it. She was all he had left and he needed her warmth and comfort, he needed her to take care of him. _

_"I failed her, Sakura." _

_"You have to honor her Naruto, follow your dream, don't give up." the rosette told him. "She would want that." _

_"It means nothing now." he told her. "All of it was for nothing, I couldn't save her... I couldn't save Sasuke, I broke my promise! I broke my promise!" _

_"Shh..." Sakura told him, feeling her heart ache terribly in her chest, but kept moving her hand through his hair. "Don't say that, you did everything you could." _

_"They're gone." he told her. "They're gone because I wasn't strong enough." _

_Sakura could feel her salt tears sting over her cheeks. Inside she was coming undone, falling, choking, dying... but he needed her so she would be strong. She would be strong for him and hold him as he wept for the girl who loved him. _

_The girl who was meant to be by his side. _

_"Don't give up, Naruto." she pleaded softly. _If you give up, there is no hope left in this world.

_The kunochi turned to look skyward, the tears flowing as she stared into the endless gray void, looking for her own lost love. _

Why? Why did you leave me?_ she asked, holding Naruto in her arms. _I need you and you left me again... you always leave me.

_"They're gone." Naruto repeated over and over again, and it was like a dagger being thrust into her chest over and over again. _

_"I'm here." Sakura choked out. "I'm here, Naruto."_

* * *

The young Hokage trudged his way home that dark and cold night, both physically and mentally exhausted. He felt more than relief at the sight of his home; the modest house he had built over the site where his parents had once lived.

He found himself smiling tiredly at the sight of the orange lanterns still lit in the entry way, where all others on the street had long been put out, probably many hours ago.

The house was perfect to him in every way.

It was not too big, not too small, simple in every aspect, but cheerful and cozy. It had become one with the nature around it, with two young trees thriving on each side and vines climbing up walls and along the stone patio.

He crossed the pathway and admired the well-kept garden that wrapped around the front of the house and traveled into the backyard, before his sandals hit the wood of the porch with a resounding clank.

He slid the door open quietly, knowing that it would creak if forced too hard, and transitioned into his home. He sighed before inhaling deeply, taking in all the comforting smells. From the kitchen was the lingering fragrance of chicken fried rice and of the herbs that hung over the hearth: thyme, mint, lavender… and so many others.

He loved it. It was the pleasant smells of_ his _home.

He took off his red, black-flamed jacket and hung it over a chair lazily, as well as his head band, and rubbed a hand through his thick golden hair to untangle his disheveled tresses. He then made his way tentatively through the house, not wanting to wake the other occupants of his home. Entering the living room, however, he paused and a smile crept across his scared face.

Sakura was laid out along the couch, her long and pink hair spilling over the throw pillow.

Her pale face illuminated the moonlight from the window, enhancing her ethereal beauty and the peace of her slumber. Cradled in her arms, resting in the nook of her neck was an infant, hardly a month old, who slept just as peacefully as his mother, dressed in woolly pajamas. The Sixth Hokage watched them for a while, from the door frame of the room, in silent admiration.

He slowly walked toward them, without a sound, and gently lifted the sleeping baby from Sakura's arms, and cradled him in his own with great care and tenderness. He never grew weary of admiring the small babe, so soft, so perfect in every way. With his pink skin and tiny face. He looked just like him, with his long gold hair, the same nose and the same ears…

"_You have a clone," _He remembered Sakura say, as she placed the infant in his arms for the first time.

_His son_.

His flesh and blood.

His greatest love.

The very idea left him in awe, as he carried his child up into the master bedroom and laid him down in the small bassinet next to the bed, watching his chest fall up and down silently.

He smiled before returning down the stairs into the living room.

In her sleep Sakura stirred slightly as he approached her. When he bent down to pick her up, she moved her arms around in search of the baby that had laid with her only moments before.

She woke in a panic.

"Minato!" she cried breathlessly.

"Shhh…" Naruto comforted her, sinking his hands under her warm body and elevating her from the couch into his arms. "He's asleep upstairs."

Sakura recovered from her shock when she saw the face of her husband, and breathed a sigh of relief as he held her bridal style.

"You're back." She said sleepily, wrapping her arms around his neck to steady herself.

"I told you not to wait up for me." he said, taking her up the stairs.

"When you said late, I didn't think it would be in the early morning hours, what is it? One o'clock?" Sakura yawned, trying to keep her eyes open.

"Two thirty." Naruto corrected, maneuvering them through the door of the bed room. He laid her down on the soft bed and admired her for a brief moment, pushing a stray hair out of her face, and tucking it behind her ear with a heavy sigh. "The council meeting went on longer than expected."

Though half alert as she was, she could see the deep weariness in his face.

"What happened?" she asked, reaching up to brush the side of his face. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, it was just a long night, I'll save the details for tomorrow." he said, not willing to make her worry as he stood and began to undress into his night attire.

Sakura accepted the answer and laid back over the pillow, feeling the heavy pull of sleep pulling her under once more.

Naruto was soon back by her side, giving her quick kiss goodnight, before climbing under the covers and turning over to get some long needed sleep.

Although not knowing the reason for his shift in demeanor, Sakura reached out and gently ran a hand over his shoulder comfortingly. "What is it?"

He didn't reply.

Sakura moved closer to him, sensing his need for comfort, and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling his back against her. "Whatever it is, it's okay."

He sighed, turning into her embrace, letting his head rest against her shoulder.

"You can tell me, you know?" she murmured worriedly, moving her arms up his back, in a strong, sheltering embrace.

"Tomorrow." he whispered, staring over her shoulder out the window into the black, starless sky above.

It wasn't long until sleep claimed his wife once more, leaving him alone with unwelcome memories.

_How can I become Hokage, if I can't even save one friend?_

* * *

_He awoke to find the familiar face, or mask of Kakashi looming over him. _

_"It's over isn't it?" he asked incredulously._

_ All the memories were filling in his mind as he remembered Madara and his blade._

_Kakashi nodded._

"_Sasuke… he's…"_

_Kakashi nodded again._

_The confirmation hit him like a bag of bricks. He clenched his teeth, fighting back tears._

"_No… God dammit no!" he cried. "I don't believe it!"_

_He made his way to stand at the same level as his mentor. He stumbled, but Kakashi steadied him._

"_It's… not fair…" Naruto said, his voice low and unsteady. "I… I swore to bring him back…"_

"_Don't do that to yourself." his teacher's voice was abnormally stern. "This is not the time for your profound speeches of how you'll make everything alright despite the odds."_

_The young shinobi looked up at him with a pained expression as he tried to hold back tears._

_Kakashi gritted his teeth, having difficulty keeping his own emotions under control. "He died saving you, don't disgrace his sacrifice with your regret, it's all he had left Naruto."_

"_I didn't ask him to die for me!" Naruto cried, the tears were falling freely now. "All of it, everything... it was to bring him home…"_

"_He is home, Naruto." Kakashi told him steadily, grabbing hold of him firmly by the shoulders._

_Naruto sobbed, collapsing into his mentors hold. _

_He shook and cried as he had never done before, his hands clenching into fists.._

"_Damn it! Damn it!" he cried._

_Kakashi held the boy firmly by the shoulders and let him cry. He, himself blinked back tears… hardly hours ago, his other student died in his arms... giving up his last hours to redeem himself._

_Naruto could hear cheers of victory from the whole of the Leaf Shinobi, and all he could feel was ache in his heart. Suddenly his eyes caught the sight of a frail form curled under a tree a good distant away… weeping uncontrollably._

"_Sakura…" he whispered urgently, braking away to run toward her._

_Kakashi stopped him. "No, let her be."_

"_But, she needs to know…"_

"_She knows," Kakashi explained. "S…She was here."_

_Naruto looked at him in surprise._

"_She tried to heal both of you, she couldn't, she didn't have enough chakra__." Kakashi told him grimly._

_Naruto's eyes widened in shock. _

_He needed to get to her, he moved again._

"_Naruto, leave her alone."_

_Naruto felt himself grow cold. _

_He was so shaken he didn't know what to feel. "God, let me see her, please…"_

"_You want to pain her more?" Kakashi asked, his voice getting harsher._

"_No, _I _need her…" he said, finally moving past him and darting toward his surviving teammate._

_His heart broke the closer he got to the small girl. She was curled over, her knees drawn into herself, her head buried into her arms, as she shook so much she was slightly convulsing. He had seen the girl cry probably a hundred times before, but never like this. She choked and sobbed and shook in a frightening way that made him ill. _

_He felt what was left of his heart shatter to see her like this._

"_Sakura…" his raspy voice broke through, he needed her to stop._

_She gasped and looked up at him before quickly covering her face._

"_Oh God!" she cried. "Naruto, he's gone... I'm sorry! I am so sorry!"_

"_Sakura…"_

"_I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"_

"_Sakura!" he said more firmly, his voice cracking. He dropped to kneel beside her._

_She continued sobbing and shaking. "He's gone... He's gone..." she repeated over and over again in disbelief._

"_Stop!" he said, grabbing her shoulders firmly and giving them a shake so she would look at him. _

_She did, with red, watery eyes, wincing as she met his gaze, tears falling freely. Her clothes were torn and her face was caked with blood and dirt._

_"You did all you could… it wasn't fair… it was my fault…"_

_"Naruto, he's gone." she sobbed, clinging to him, burying her face into his chest. "I couldn't save him, __I let him die."_

_He held her._

"_Sakura… Sasuke… he made his choice…" i__t felt as though he would crush her if he squeezed too tight. _

"Please..._" he murmured into her ear. "I can't lose you either."_

* * *

It was four thirty in the morning when a baby's cry shattered the peaceful silence of the night.

Sakura stirred, groaning with complaint, but Naruto rose beside her and gently pushed her back down against the mattress.

"I got it." he reassured her.

He sluggishly made his way over to Minato, banging against numerous things in the dark and making enough racket that one could wonder how he was the Seventh Hokage.

"Hey, little man, what's up?" he asked pulling the baby out of his bassinet, and holding him close in his arms.

He rocked the baby gently in his arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and made his way toward the wooden rocker next to the bassinet. "Hungry? Wet? Cold?" Naruto asked him quietly, taking a seat. Minato's fussing slowly ceased within a minute and he opened his eyes to stare at his father.

Naruto smiled at him, Minato's eyes were big and emerald like Sakura's, and just as beautiful. "No? None of the above?" he asked, staring back at his son, who grippe his small hand around Naruto's finger and made a small _"Aaa." _sound. "So, what's cause for all the ruckus? Huh?"

Sakura smiled as she watched them, letting her head fall back into her pillow.

"Just didn't want to be alone." Naruto confirmed from the one-sided conversation with the three-week -old infant. "Yeah, I know the feeling, don't worry little man, I'm here."

He cast up a reassuring smile at Sakura as little Minato slowly fell asleep, and she gave him a watery one in return, feeling tears well in the corner of her eyes.

* * *

Peace was a strange, but much welcomed characteristic to the Hidden Leaf Village. Restored completely to its former glory, the village and its citizens seemed to flow in perfect tranquility.

Naruto laced his fingers with Sakura as they walked the streets, the spring wind blew around them, stirring up her hair, his jacket and numerous cherry blossom petals.

Sakura snuggled Minato close as they made their way through the market.

People stopped to congratulate them, to greet them, to thank Naruto for his service, to ask Sakura about the hospital status and to coo over Minato.

raise was all they received.

Sakura smirked and looked over at Naruto.

_His dream. S_he thought lightly.

_"Morning, Hokage-sama!"_

_"Bless you, Hokage-sama!"_

_"Oh, little Minato! Look at him! He will be strong, like his father!"_

They continued walking on through the village, before Naruto halted in front of the ramen stand. "Sakura!"

"No, you just ate that for breakfast not a half hour ago." she said sternly, walking on, her nose in the air.

"Please…" he pouted. "Two minutes."

Sakura sighed. "Two minutes, and just one."

He beamed and pranced over to the stand.

Something's never would change.

After their detour, they carried on. The sun was warm that day, the birds were singing, there was not a cloud in the sky.

The Hokage and his wife arrived at the small playground near the academy. Sakura sat on the swing with Minato as Naruto pushed them gently. Soon the baby was sound asleep and the couple settled under a tree. Sakura laid out the fuzzy blue blanket that she had received at her baby shower from Ten-Ten and laid little Minato on the blanket in his tiny little bundle, so he would not roll away.

Naruto sat against the trunk of the great oak, watching them with a smile. He moved his bended knees apart as Sakura stood and walked over to him. She sat down and let his arms wrap around her, as she laid her head against his chest, watching her sleeping son with a sigh.

"Tired?" he asked gently.

"Oh, just a little." she replied, closing her eyes. "You?"

Naruto nodded in agreement and let his head rest against the tree. "It's beautiful today."

"Mmmhmm…" Sakura replied, not really listening to him.

"Perfect really."

She nodded against his chest.

For a moment it was silent as the wind blew around them.

Naruto felt her heart steady into a slow beat and almost thought that she had fallen asleep until she inclined her head up to look him in the eye.

"What happened last night at the council meeting ?" she asked gently. "You seemed so... distant last night."

He tensed lightly, but she kept her eyes on him intently.

"That bad?" she asked.

"No, its just…" he sighed gently brushing his lips to her temples. "Just brought back some unpleasant memories."

"Tell me." she insisted.

"…Well, some villagers are having issues with a memorial in the village."

"Is that all? That doesn't seem to be a big deal…" she trailed off in confusion. "What memorial?"

He took a heavy breath. "The memorial for the Uchiha clan."

It was Sakura's turn to stiffen.

Naruto winced.

"Oh." she said finally.

It was silent for a whole minute and the atmosphere suddenly grew cold. Naruto squeezed her even tighter to him, for her support and his own possessiveness.

Despite the long years that had passed, Sakura had never fully buried the dead.

"I can see why…" she managed to say, shifting in his arms... he was holding her a little to tightly. "What did they decide?"

"It hasn't been decided yet."

"What did you vote?"

"I voted for it to remain…" he breathed, unsure if she would agree with his decision or not.

She only nodded slowly in understanding.

"We shouldn't just forget them…" he tried… regretting his words as soon as they came out.

But again, Sakura only nodded.

It was quiet again, this time for a while.

Naruto glanced over at his sleeping son, then bowed his head against hers.

"I love you…" he whispered quietly. "I love you so much."

She glanced back at him, those words pulling her from her daze, startled to see that there was fear swimming in the depths of his oceanic eyes.

"...I love you too." she replied softly.

He swallowed thickly and nodded.

While he knew she meant it, he also knew she had loved someone else first... someone who still haunted her.

* * *

_Naruto stood, planted firmly in his place before the Uchiha crypt_.

_Rain poured down, plastering his golden hair to the sides of his face._

_He didn't tear up, he didn't make a noise or a movement, he just stood, hands in his pockets, staring. _

_He had never had trouble with speaking to the departed before. He often spoke to his parents… long before he knew their identities... for comfort and guidance. _

_H__e would tell them about his day, what was bothering him, how he was feeling… But, nothing came to mind as he stood before the memorial stone to acknowledge his fallen rival and friend... _

_He had no words, no cohesive thoughts, nothing but a heaviness in his heart and a terrible void that lay waste to everything he stood for and believed in._

_He had both hated and loved Sasuke throughout all their lives. He hated him. He hated that he always won, he hated he was the one Sakura wanted, he hated that he left, he hated that he wouldn't listen, he hated that he killed his own brother, he hated that he took the blade for him, he hated that he died._

_He hated that he couldn't save him._

_It was not supposed to end like this…_

_But, Sasuke was his brother, and he loved him. He was his comrade, his rival, his motivation... his best friend._

_Best friend…_

_He had spent more time apart than with the Uchiha, yet their bond had always been strong, despite the fact that they hated and rivaled each other in so many ways. They were brothers, through and through, and truly nothing proved too great to break that bond... no separation, no war, no action._

_The bond of family, whether blood or not, was indeed a strange and stubborn thing._

_Even when all one could feel was hate and jealousy… the friendship, the fondness, the loyalty, when it was true and strong, would never fade. _

_Not fully__. _

_In the end, he knew Sasuke would be redeemed, that he would return to the light… and he did… more so than he could imagine._

_Sasuke ki__lled Madara, saved Naruto himself, and gave up his life doing so. He was the true hero in the Last Battle… but, no one would accept a traitorous missing-nin as their hero... no... They would have to settle for Naruto instead._

_That's all he really was, he guessed, Sasuke's fill in. _

_What people settled with when Sasuke didn't come through. _

_Second best._

_Son of Minato Namikaze, The Forth Legendary Hokage._

_Hero of the Leaf Village._

_Most power shinobi alive._

… _Still, only second best…_

_"You still win." Naruto muttered, finding the words at last._

_He heard Kakashi come up behind him, until the copy-nin was standing by his side. He didn't say anything for a while, and Naruto was thankful for that. He was too overwhelmed to voice what was on his mind. _

_This all had happened so fast… everything was happening so fast._

I still can't believe he is gone, _Sensei. He wanted to say. _I don't know if I ever will.

_It was quiet as the rain continued to pour, the black sky reflecting the darkness in the teacher's and students souls._

_"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked him, breaking the silence._

_Naruto didn't respond right away. "…I will be."_

_Kakashi brought a hand up to his shoulder, being a father for him that wasn't there. "But, right now?"_

_Naruto sighed. "Right now, I feel nothing toward him at all… I don't think I can."_

_"Just let yourself feel peace Naruto, you of all people deserve peace." Kakashi told him. "There are many stages to grief, the last being acceptance… acceptance will let you move on from this."_

I will move on_. Naruto thought. I promised I would. _I refuse to let him beat me.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hello, my lovely readers. **

**In the midst of writing Lonely Existence, my current baby and focus right now on this site. I also have been freshening up and deleting old stories in my archives and I came face to face with this (pain in the ass) jem, and found myself going back and forth (again) in my head if should delete it or not. **

**This story has a bit of a history on this site, and brings back some memories of where I was at mid-Shippuden in this fandom. I, since the beginning, have always supported and shipped SasuSaku, but I definitely went through a (kind of embarrassing) NaruSaku faze, because (of course) I really wanted Sakura to be happy… I believed firmly that Sasuke was the key to her happiness (and vice versa), but there were a few doubts here and there as Sasuke continued to fall deeper down the rabbit hole. I believed they belonged together, of course, but only if Sasuke could let go of his darkness and wasn't killed off in the end, and I really wasn't sure (at that point) what Kishi was planning. **

**Also, please note that NaruSaku is a great ship, and honestly, I really enjoy it. It's my brotp, first and foremost, but I can totally see why people ship it (I mean, I briefly did too!). So, I am not jabbing at the ship in any way! I'm jabbing how conflicted I was during mid-Shippuden about everything. **

**Anyway, wanting to start a new story, I started pondering the idea of a NaruSaku story with a dark!Sasuke (he was originally planned as a villain). So then I conjured up this really messy, but also sort of awesome story, and I started to get a lot of reviews and it was all going well… then I lost interest for a long while, lost all the initial passion I had for it.. With the manga starting to get into it's final arc, I was much more focused on canon things. **

**Then, we had the much anticipated NaruHina and SasuSaku ending, and I was (of course) inspired to take up writing in this fandom again. This story was still floating around, but I was too caught up in other projects I started, to really work on it. Also, I had no idea what to do with it anyway. I was pretty sure I was going to delete it. But, then I had several readers reach out and ask me to continue. I told them that I really wasn't interested and that this story had hit a deadend. I had ideas to change it up into something different, something more accommodating to both NaruSaku and SasuSaku (and a bit of NaruHina as well) with the trio dealing with unfair and tragic circumstances. But, most of the readers were NaruSaku fans, and with the huge backlash from that part of the fandom, I didn't think they would be interested in that at all. **

**I figured I would just scrap it. **

**Then a reader told me I should just go for it, play for both sides and do what I wanted. So, I did a (first :P) revision and it went _okay-ish_. Lot's of plot holes, and gaps, but not terrible. I was meh about it, and the original readers seemed meh about it the further I went with the changes. The most annoying part was that I KNEW there was this amazing story that both fanbases would like and identify with, and I knew I was close to getting it. **

**THEN, I wrote the ending scene (after putting up a poll of which ship they wanted to see as endgame) and it was one of my favorite things I had written in a long time, and I knew that (even if it killed me) I really needed to get to the ending of this story. **

**But, alas, it was too much of a jumbled mess of old vs. new… and I had too many other stories that readers were more interested in… it went on the backburner again. **

**But, still. **

**I found that I couldn't throw it in the trash once and for all. This story was like a puzzle box that I just couldn't piece together, but I'm going to give it another shot!**

**I've done some re-editing and combined short choppy chapters into longer, more cohesive chapters. I've given it a lot of thought and much more well-planned direction. I really am excited to relaunch it (third times the charm, maybe?) even though it's been a pain in my ass, it really reflects my love for both the ships and all the characters. **

**Hopefully you will all like it to. **

**_A recommendation:_ I had NUMEROUS problems with the infamous shipping wars with this story (as I was writing about two major ships), and I got backlash from both ends. I'd rather that wouldn't happen this time around. I've had plenty of the negative side of this fandom on Tumblr (so much so that I decided to delete my account). So, I'll say this now. If you dislike SasuSaku, NaruHina or NaruSaku, they are all addressed in a positive (and sometimes not so positive) light in this story. I am fond of all three, and I make sure to give them the respect they deserve, but I also address their conflicts as well. If you like one and dislike the others, I would recommend reading a story that is more focused on just that pairing. Also, this story fully acknowledges the canon fact that Sasuke is Sakura's true love and that Hinata's is Naruto. If you disagree with/dislike that, then I would recommend finding another NaruSaku story by one of the many talented writers in that fanbase. **


	2. Chapter Two: Sakura

**::Again::**

**Chapter Two: Sakura**

_"Maybe we feel empty because we leave pieces in ourselves in everything we used to love."_

_-r.m. drake_

* * *

_"Sakura! Over here!"_

_The young medical ninja turned to see her mentor standing on a hill and immediately darted toward him._

_"Have you found them?!" she cried, running to stand beside him. _

_Kakashi didn't answer and only gripped onto his wounded shoulder, looking ahead to let her see for herself. _

_Madara's, once again, lifeless corpse lay sprawled out over the ruins and barren aftermath of the great battle. _

_"Look." Kakashi cried, pointing toward another figure. _

_Sakura gasped in horror. It was Naruto, laying in a pool of his own blood, several feet away. _

_He wasn't moving. _

_Was he...? He couldn't be dead!_

_"No!" she breathed, before taking off toward him. Her feet flying on their own accord. _

You better be alive, you idiot! You better be alive!

_Suddenly, a hand reached out and grasped Sakura's ankle, stopping her advances, nearly making her tumble over. _

_Choking on a startled gasp, she looked down to meet a gaze of pure darkness. _

_Sasuke's eyes bore through her pleadingly, and she only could recall one time when she had ever seen him look so helpless._

_ Long ago on their first real mission together._

_"Sakura…" he panted heavily, trying to pull himself up from the rubble, Madara's blade impaling his lower abdomen."Please…"_

_The pain and desperation in his voice chilled her over... he didn't have much time._

_Feeling panic clawing at her heart, she glanced back to Naruto, then back to him... _

_She had always feared something like this would happen... it had been an unsettling thought in the back of her mind for sometime. She let out a shaky breath, she couldn't allow it to effect her. She had to forget that the fates of the two people she loved most in the world were in her hands. She had to be rational and think of them as any other wounded and dying shinobi._

_And she knew she'd have to access Naruto's current state before she could decide who she needed to treat first..._

_In truth, her chakra reserves were nearly diminished... she did not know how she would be able to heal them both. _

_But she would, by Kami she would!_

_"I'll be back." she promised softly, feeling her stomach sink when he reached for her when she pulled away from his hold. _

_He looked frightened at her dismissal, but managed to nod in understanding. He knew she would. _

_It killed Sakura to leave him... there was a light in his eyes that she never thought she would see again. __He didn't want to die, he wanted another chance… she had seen that look in countless wounded ninjas she had healed in the past._

_"Sensei!" she called, her voice breaking.__"Hurry! It's Sasuke! I need you to stabilize him."_

_ Kakashi was there in an instant and, without any question, knelt beside his estranged student, rolling the boy over on his back. _

_"Keep him conscious." Sakura ordered, before rushing away. _

_She collapsed beside Naruto when she reached him and immediately checked his pulse._

_He was alive._

_But, barely._

_If she did not act now, in a matter of moments, he would die. Separating her emotions from her critical thinking, she focused her chakra into her palms and hovered them over the fatal wound in his stomach. _

_She didn't think of him._

_She didn't think of Sasuke. _

_She just focused on what she had to do, with limited power that she had... if she didn't let her natural instinct take over, she would assuredly lose both of them._

_In a matter of seconds, the intricate wound began to weave close. Her yin seal was faltering, but the kunochi would not allow it to deactivate on her. _

_He was going to live._

_ He had to live._

_There was no hope for the shinobi world if he did not. _

_She glanced behind her to see Kakashi holding Sasuke in his arms, and trying fervently to keep the Uchiha's eyes focused._

_A cold feeling went through her. __What if she couldn't save them both?_

_What if her seal gave out on her... what if..._

_No. _

_Focus. _

_She had to stay focus. _

_She couldn't listen to the cries of her heart and soul... she couldn't let them lead her in this moment. _

_Pushing herself to her limit, she managed to stabalize Naruto enough so that his breathing was even and that kyuubi's chakra could manage the wounds on it's own._

_Rising, she quickly rushed back to the side of the man she loved. _

Keep him alive._ she prayed._ Just let him hold on a bit more.

_Once there, she ordered Kakashi to watch over Naruto as she treated Sasuke. _

_The Uchiha was fading and fading fast._

_Letting Kakashi lay him in her arms, she held him firmly and prepared to remove the blade embedded inside him._

_"Sasuke." she called to him, gripping him under his chin and forcing him to look at her. "Look at me! Stay focused on me, and don't you dare fall asleep!"_

_He only blinked at her with confused and dazed eyes. "Sakura..."_

_With a glowing green hand she gripped the blade at it's base and pulled it out quickly. _

_She was immediately overwhelmed by the depths and intricacy of the wound as his blood began to pool out over her hands._

Too elaborate!

Too deep!

Not enough time!

Not enough chakra!

No!

No!

No!

_She felt herself depleting rapidly, her chakra reserves failing her, and her yin seal slowly repressing... but she kept her hand firmly over the hole in his chest, determined to close it, determined to save him._

_"Sakura..." he spoke again, coughing up his own blood. He could already see it in her eyes... he already knew..._

_"Stay quiet!" she told him. "I need to concentrate!"_

_"...I'm sorry." he whispered softly, fervently, like a prayer. _

_Tears began to blind her vision, and she looked up, blinking them away, her hands too occupied to be of any help. "Sorry?"_

_"For everything I've done." he rasped._

_She was losing him, she could feel it... but she refused to let go. _

_"I wasn't ready to die yet." he told her, regretfully. "I have more to do...Itachi..."_

_"You're not going to die, Sasuke." she told him, giving him a firm shake when he started to slip. "I won't let you."_

_"You're so damned annoying." he said, a pained smile forming on his face, using what was left of his strength to lift up his fingers to brush against her cheek. "Making everything difficult... you never knew how much... how much I..."_

_His heartbeat was slowing, fading._

_"Sasuke, don't, not like this!" she cried, succumbing to her panic, her desperation. "Don't leave me again! Please! I love you! I still love you! Stay with me!"_

_The shine in his eyes was fading as his hand gently brushed two fingers over the seal of her forehead. "Thank you, Sakura."_

_"Sasuke!" she called, as his onyx eyes faded to gray, staring lifeless into the dark sky above. "Sasuke, no!"_

_It was then the last of the Uchiha clan fell limp within her hold and, as if to signal the world of his departure, there was a loud clash of thunder that shook the earth._

_"Sasuke?" she sobbed, searching his eyes. "Sasuke!?"_

_But, there came no reply._

_Sasuke Uchiha was dead._

* * *

Sakura made her way through town with Minato in her arms. She was on her way to check up on things at the hospital, as well as let her co-workers coo over her beautiful son.

The day was bright and beautiful, as summer usually was in the Leaf that time of year.

"Well, well, look who has finally decided to rejoin society." a familiar voice remarked.

Caught off guard, Sakura turned around to see her former mentor leaning against the kite stand, his infamous book casually in hand and what seemed to be a smile beneath his mask.

"Sensei!" Sakura exclaimed, making her way toward him, a warm smile appearing on her face.

She had not seen her old friend since Minato was born, which was almost a month ago.

"Morning Sakura," he greeted, lifting himself off his perch and putting his book back in his pouch. "Its been a while since I've seen you out this way."

"Well, I have a loud whiner to take care of now… and my baby." she joked, inclining Minato toward Kakashi so he could see him better.

Kakashi's smile grew a little more as the child came into his view. "And how is my godson?"

"As perfect and healthy as he was when he was born." Sakura beamed proudly and affectionately.

"He's getting big." Kakashi commented.

The little baby locked eyes with the copy-nin and mumbled gibberish to him. "He looks just like his father."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Would you like to hold him?" She held Minato out to her old sensei, her bright smile still on her face.

Kakashi seemed taken aback, but reached out and took the boy in his arms. He and the boy locked eyes for a while.

"He's much more reserved than his father, doesn't make a peep." Kakashi said.

Sakura laughed. "He is very well behaved, I don't know who he gets that from, my mother said I was a fussy baby."

Kakashi was quiet for a moment as he and the infant acknowledged each other. "Heh…This brings back memories, I remember holding Naruto when he was this age."

Sakura smile faltered, remembering the circumstance to which Naruto was born.

The baby's name probably did not bring any good memories either.

Kakashi caught her reaction and brightened immediately. "On your way to the hospital, Sakura?"

She nodded. "I'm not back at work yet, but I decided to stop by."

"Out of concern for your workers, or to show Minato off?" Kakashi teased, handing her back the baby.

"Well, I can't help myself." Sakura joked, but her gaze grew sincere as Minato was back in her arms, fingering her stray hairs. "He's perfect."

Kakashi couldn't help but smile at the tender moment. It was strange to see his little student all grown up and a baby in her arms. To him, she would always be that little girl who would interrupt his lectures, lose her temper, and pester him with questions.

He was thankful his little student had not succumbed to her grief and found a way to live again... though, even after all this time, he could still see a faint shadow of sadness looming over her... some wounds would never fully heal, he knew that better than anyone.

"Well, I should be off now. It was good to see you Sensei, please come by the house anytime." she beamed, before starting back toward the hospital. "The point of being Minato's godfather means that you need to look out for him."

"I'll remember that. Take care Sakura." he waved after her. Though, perhaps his former student was not as well as she seemed.

* * *

Naruto yawned as he made his way up to bed.

He had stayed awake a few hours to finish the last of the paperwork that he had brought home from work and Sakura had taken Minato up to bed a while ago.

He glanced at the clock. It was about eleven. Not bad for his usual routine. He walked into the bedroom where Minato was sleeping soundly in his bassinet, his chest rising and falling softly, and Sakura was already curled up under the covers of their bed. He walked over to the bassinet and kissed his son gently on the forehead before climbing in the bed beside Sakura.

She slept soundly, all bundled up to her eyes, her long rose-colored hair rolling all over the bed.

He leaned over and kissed her on her forehead tenderly as well, before curling up himself and falling asleep.

When his eyes opened again, it was about 3:00 am. Though nothing initially woke him, he just felt that something was wrong.

A small whimper from beside him caught his attention and he sat up to look over at his wife.

"Sakura?" he asked.

Was she crying?

He didn't get a response. He reached over and turned on the lamp that rested on the table beside their bed to see better.

Sakura thrashed lightly as if she was in pain and he could see tears falling down her face, but she was still asleep.

"No…" she murmured in her sleep, thrashing a little bit more, as if she was fighting an invisible force.

She was scaring him. "Sakura!" he called, reaching for her.

His call and touch did not wake her, instead they made her arch away from him, as if she was in pain.

She began sobbing.

"Sakura!" he called again, this time grabbing her shoulders, despite her attempts to move away, and gave her a firm shake. "Wake up!"

Her emerald eyes flew open and she gasped, consciousness hit her forcefully as she took in deep breaths.

"Sakura…" Naruto said again, there was panic in his voice. When her eyes hit him, she broke down and cried, collapsing into his arms. "Naruto…"

"Shhh..." he tried to stop her crying, slowly moving a hand through her hair and rubbing her back. "Its alright, your alright, it was just a dream."

She didn't seem reassured by his words as she continued to sob into his chest.

Naruto could hear Minato making noises, he had awaken from all the shouting and crying. He prayed the little infant would go back to sleep, but he did no such thing.

He could hear that his mother was distressed, and it made him start to wail.

"Minato!" Sakura called, moving to aid the crying babe.

"I'll get him." Naruto said firmly, holding her back. "Stay right here, I'll be right back."

He moved to get out of the bed and glanced back at her. Her eyes were wide with fear and silent tears began to fall.

"Will you be alright?" he asked worriedly.

She nodded a little too quickly.

He hated leaving her alone, but the baby needed to be put at ease first before he could do anything.

He gently brushed a strained of her hair out of her face. "I'll be back..."

He got up and quickly scooped up Minato in his arms and left the bedroom.

Seeing Sakura like that had thrown him for a loop, he needed to calm himself, as well as his son.

"Shhh…" he soothed the baby, rocking him back and forth. "Its alright, I'm here, Mom's okay… everything is fine."

The baby's wailing receded to small whimpering. "Let's get you something to eat…"

He carried his son to the kitchen and heated a bottle of formula and water. He needed to calm his nerves. He began taking in deep breaths as he fed Minato at the kitchen table, letting the house fell into silence. As soon as the baby was full, it only took a few moments before he was asleep once more.

Naruto then made his way back up stairs, anxious to get back to Sakura. He re-entered the bedroom and laid Minato back in his bassinet before turning to face his wife. Sakura had her eyes on them anxiously, they were still red from crying and wide with fear, but she seemed to have calmed down a bit. She was hugging her knees to her trembling from, looking very alone.

He said nothing as he approached her, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly.

"Naruto…"

"Shhh… I'm here." he stopped her from explaining, he didn't want her to relive anything until she was settled.

Her sobs had ceased, but she still trembled in his strong arms. He massaged her tense back and shoulders, letting her calm into his hold. He moved one hand through her hair, down her neck and up to cup her face. He pulled away ever so slightly, to see her face and gently rubbed the tears away with his thumb. He then drew her forlorn face towards him and kissed her forehead softly. He then moved his lips down to her ear murmuring sweet nothings to drive away all the dark thoughts in her head.

He needed her to stop shaking, and he hated that she felt do cold in his arms.

He couldn't imagine what kind of dream she had to put her in this state, it made him worry. Sakura had always been a quiet, soundless sleeper. She had dreams once in a while, nightmares on certain occasions like any war veteran, but certainly nothing to make her cry and convulse in her sleep like she did.

What bothered him even more was the way she moved from his touch, like she was in pain. Was someone hurting her... tormenting her in her sleep?

It took about a half hour, but soon his wife was free of sobs, her body was warm against him, and she was breathing evenly. She was much less tense in his hold and rested against his shoulder. He let out a sigh and laid back on the bed, taking her with him.

"What happened?" he asked. "Can you tell me?"

She trembled slightly beside him, before shaking her head rapidly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, its just…" he paused and Sakura looked up at him, meeting the depths of his blue eyes. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry." she whispered, turning shamefully into his shoulder.

He took her face into his hands and made sure she looked at him. "Sakura, you know that I will never let anything hurt you?"

She only nodded.

"It was just a dream." he told her.

She nodded again.

He kissed her lightly on the lips and pulled her back into his arms,letting her drift back to sleep.

He, however was wide awake, fear and worry overtaking him. Sakura had a way of sensing things were going wrong, before they did.

Soon the world was quiet again… but it surely wasn't as peaceful.

* * *

_Ino cried into her shoulder, her tears soaking the sleeve of her cream-colored sweater. Sakura rubbed her back encouragingly, resting her cheek upon her head._

_"It's okay." she would repeat over and over again. "It's okay."_

_"I just, walked home today and I went into his study to give him the receipts for the shop... and he wasn't there!" the blonde told her. "It was like I had forgotten completely."_

_"No, you didn't, it was just your habit." Sakura told her. "It's okay."_

_"I wanted to go to my mom, but she has finally stopped crying... and..."_

_"You're always welcome, Ino-pig." Sakura smiled. "Uncle Inoichi would be very proud of you."_

_The blonde nodded but kept her head buried in her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know how hard it's been for you as well and here I am making you late for work..."_

_"No," Sakura told her. "Doing this, it helps... It makes me feel needed."_

_"How's Naruto?" Ino sniffed. "He must be devestated, the poor knucklehead."_

_"He's... okay." Sakura replied. "I'm going to fill our teas, okay?"_

_Ino nodded, lifting her blonde head from her shoulder, wiping her tears stubbornly. She watched her friend's back as she prepared another cup of tea for the both of them. The rosette really had lost weight like her mother had said, and Ino had taken note of the heavy bags under her eyes when she had arrived._

_ It dawned on her then that this woman was not the girl she had known all her life._

_ She wasn't he strong resilient flower who outlasted the coldest of winters._

_ This girl was frail, quiet, and broken. _

_A shadow of herself. _

_"Your mom's worried about you, you know."_

_Sakura nodded, moving to the pour the kettle into the identical mugs. "I know."_

_"She says you've been distant and hardly come to visit her or your father anymore." Ino went on. "You haven't said even a word to her about what's happened... Sakura... if you need to talk to anyone, I'm right here, you know that."_

_"I'm fine." she said quietly._

_"I know how much you loved him." Ino told her. "I know how deeply you must be hurting, you can't lie to me, you don't have to go it alone. I'm here, Naruto's here too, all your friends... we should get through this together."_

_"Thank you, Ino, really." Sakura replied, returning with the teas. "I know you're all here... I'll be alright."_

_"Will you?" Ino asked, concerned, placing a hand on the girl's knee._

_"Yes." Sakura lied._

* * *

Sakura sighed as she rocked Minato in the nursery rocker. She was trying to get him to sleep, but he seemed anything but tired.

It was a lovely day outside, and the sunlight was pouring through the windows like translucent gold, yet her thoughts were clouded with the darkest days of her past, the memories that she had kept locked away for so long that they had rebelled and attacked her in the night… and, of course, the nagging feeling that had followed her like a ghost for longer than she could remember.

The feeling that made her glance around when she was certain she was alone, the feeling that made her double check the locks on the windows and doors of her, the feeling that made her hairs stick up on the back of her neck… the feeling that robbed her of peace.

Naruto had reluctantly left for the Hokage tower early that day, not wanting to leave her alone, but she had finally convinced him after much assurance and bickering.

She told him she would simply take a rest after Minato went down for his nap, and then she would feel as good as new.

He would probably come home the minute he was done with his dispatches though, letting all his other tasks fall behind.

She hated the idea, but selfishly was relieved to know that he would be home soon.

Her nightmare haunted her as she went about the house doing her daily chores. She couldn't get the images of the dream out of her head.

Naruto had always helped ward away the shadows and darkness in her mind, he always helped her forget.

_It was a dream... He's gone.._. she thought assuredly. _Get it through your head that he's always been gone. _

_It was just a dream._

Yet she kept Minato close to her the whole day, panicking a little every time he was not in her arms.

With the laundry all done, and the house clean, she was glad that now she could just relax and just hold her baby.

She glanced down at the little boy, his eyes were sleepy, but they stayed on her unwavering… He seemed determined to not take his nap.

"You too?" she asked him. "Stop worrying, I'm fine… your daddy was right, it was just a dream… go to sleep, little one."

She reached up a hand to touch the baby's nose. Minato made a small mumbling sound in reply and fisted her finger.

She smiled at him. "Hey now, that's mine!" she exclaimed. "I need that back, and you need to take a nap."

He made no effort to give her back her index finger and instead replied to her with a soft "Oooah."

"When did you get so bossy, mister?" she asked, pouting at him.

She laughed as Minato looked at her like she was crazy. "We're both worrying over nothing."

After a few moments of silence, and peaceful rocking, Minato did finally drift to sleep, and Sakura let her head lean back so she could look at the ceiling.

"I'm worrying over nothing." she repeated more firmly, willing the looming shadow to leave her alone.

* * *

_It had been four months, four months and three days. _

_Sakura stared out the window as the rain beat down mercilessly against it. __She could see her ghostly reflection in the glass, staring tiredly back at her._

Sad, pathetic girl. _She couldn't help but think, evaluating herself. _Here alone, locked up in your apartment, sitting, staring, doing nothing... You can't even cry anymore, huh? Always so useless... You can't even save the people you love...

_She didn't even have the energy to feel grief anymore... all she felt was... emptiness. _

_The clock ticked against the rain in a taunting mantra, that was slowly driving her mad. How many nights did Sasuke spend like this? She wondered. _

_Every night?_

_ Every night this terrible loneliness, this unbearable torment that gnawed away at the heart even when there was nothing left for it to consume._

_Her telephone rang. _

_She knew it was her mother. _

_B__ut, she did not have the energy to even stand, let alone have an hour discussion on how fine she was doing._

"Sakura, it's Mom, call me back when you get this."_ her voice buzzed through the answering machine. "_I love you_."_

I love you too, Mom. _Sakura thought in reply, hugging her knees to her chest. _I just can't talk to anyone right now, because then I would have to pretend that I'm okay.

_The clock ticked on, and a few moments later the phone rang again. _

_Sakura furrowed her brows. _

_As loving as her mother was, she was not a horribly sensitive person, she also wasn't stupid. She would know that Sakura either really wasn't home, or that she didn't want to talk, and would respectfully give her space. _

_She was not the type of mother who would call over and over again to get her to pick up._

_The machine beeped. _"Hey, Sakura, it's Naruto... I'm just home here and..."

_Sakura stood then in concern at the sound of her team-mate's broken voice. _"I'm fine and everything... I just..."

_Sakura went for her coat and was out the door before he could even finish._

"If you could... I need you, Sakura." _his voice lingered in the empty apartment, before the line went dead._


	3. Chapter Three: Kakashi

**::Again::**

**Chapter Three: Kakashi**

_It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone. _

_-John Steinbeck_

* * *

_It had begun to rain…_

_A storm was raging overhead to wash out the blood that stained the earth. His dislocated shoulder ached, but he ignored the minuscule wound. _

_He was much more wounded on the inside._

_ Raw emotion had shaken him as the battle had raged on. His friend, the one who inspired him to change his life, the one who's very words he lived by… was nothing more than a fraud._

_ Nothing more than a vengeful, traitorous fraud, willing to kill him, to kill his village._

_He didn't know if he would ever recover… he had lived through many horrible things; coming home to his father, who had taken his own life; having to witness Obito's "death", standing by as his Sensei had given up his life for the village; and perhaps the most grievous, having to take the life of Rin, the person he had sworn to protect._

_But, it had been Obito's words and friendship that had got him through, that made him give up his life for others and bare the heavy burdens of his past. He knew, that as long as he put his comrades first, that he could get through life. He could see light in the world, purpose to life. But now, seeing Obito, knowing what he had done, that he not only survived, but had been the threat to the Leaf all this time… Everything he had ever known, everything he fought for, seemed like a lie._

_ He didn't know if he could have faith in humanity any longer, if saints like Obito could fall into such depths of deceptions and evil._

_But, he wouldn't give up now, his last two rays of light; his students, Naruto and Sakura, needed him still. Sakura who had been by his side during the battle, who had healed him at his darkest hour, helped him scope the fields for Naruto and Sasuke, whom neither had seen since they had locked battle with Madara. Sakura was frantic, tears in her eyes as she searched._

_ He went on ahead of her as his eyes caught sight of fallen trees upon a hill. _

_He could sense some faint chakra… familiar chakra…_

_Upon the hill, lay the dead Madara, and Naruto in his final moments, laying in a pool of his own blood. _

_The Jonin called for Sakura. She was beside him in a moment, and in the next she was running toward her teammate. Kakashi's eyes widened in shock as a hand emerged from the rubble and grasped Sakura's ankle. It was Sasuke, a blade embedded in his chest. Kakashi felt his heart still. He still had such anger in his heart toward the estranged ninja; who tried to take Sakura's life right before his eyes; disgraced Naruto's friendship; and let himself become so blinded with hate that he deluded himself to thinking that destroying the Leaf Village would liberate him for his torment._

_Yes, he had thought he had given up on the boy. But, seeing him laying there, Madara's blade through him, his own in Madara's, and making up the conclusion in his mind… it made the masked shinobi only feel remorse._

_ Kakashi could hear the Uchiha heir's pleas, his desperation for life, and the copy-nin felt his heart weaken. He watched as Sakura reassured him that she would be back, before continuing on to Naruto. He wasn't a medic, but he knew that Naruto's unresponsive form took priority over Sasuke, who was still clenching the crumbled earth, clinging for life._

_The kunochi asked him to stabilize the Uchiha in her absence. He nodded to her in understanding, preparing his heart for what was about to come._

_He approached the dying teenager, who watched Sakura as she left him, gasping and choking onto air desperately. The sight made him sick. He knelt down and turned him over so that they could see each other. Sasuke looked up at him… and all that he could see was the twelve-year-old boy he had come to love as a little brother all those years ago, and all his anger was forgotten instantly. The kid's eyes were black once more, free of the Sharingan and Rinnegan, slowly becoming dull, but were determined as ever. _

"_Kakashi…" he spoke, his voice braking._

"_Hold on Sasuke, she'll come back," he said, pulling the boy up in his arms._

_"I know." he replied._

_Kakashi glanced over at Sakura, who was frantically tried to save Naruto, and willed her to hurry. _

_He felt helpless with the dying boy._

"_You saved him, didn't you? You took the blade…"_

_Sasuke's dark gaze couldn't stay on him. "… For a minute, I thought…"_

_Kakashi gave him a firm shake. "Look at me, keep your eyes on me."_

_"I'm not ready, Sensei." Sasuke told him, gripping onto his jacket. "I have to..."_

_Kakashi made the boy look at him again, feeling tears start to well in his eyes at the honorific Sasuke had never called before. "No, you can fight this, you're stronger than this..."_

_"Go to Naruto, Sensei, watch his breathing." Sakura commanded as she returned._

_"Right." Kakashi replied, moving Sasuke into her arms, seeing the small flicker of light that sparked in the Uchiha's eyes when he saw her. _

_"You have to hurry, Sakura."_

_"I know." she replied determinedly._

_But, as Kakashi left the boy to his female student, he knew in his heart already that it was too late._

* * *

Naruto got up and let Sakura rest on the couch, dreams had haunted her the last two nights and was utterly exhausted. Neither incident was as bad as the first night, she only moved around in agitation, instead of crying or screaming, but it was beginning to be something that couldn't be overlooked.

That day, the Hokage got home his normal time, made dinner for her, and wanted her to get some extra rest. Dark bags were starting to appear under her eyes, and she seemed utterly anxious. Her sleeping was better during the day, so he told her to nap right after dinner, ignoring her protests. He sat with her on the couch to make sure she did so.

After about an hour she drifted off into a peaceful slumber, with even breathing, and not the least bit of movement. Content at last, and knowing Minato was already safe and sound in the nursery, he got up to make some instant ramen, hoping Sakura hadn't hidden it from him again.

No.

Still on the third shelf in the pantry. He began heating the water when he sensed someone by the sliding door.

He turned quickly only to be relieved to see Kakashi.

"Sensei…" he let out a sigh of relief.

"You're a little tense tonight, Naruto." his former teacher commented.

"Heh… just a long day." he replied. "Come in, want some ramen?"

"Sounds great." the older man said, taking a seat at the table. "It's very quiet here."

"Yeah, Minato's asleep upstairs, and Sakura's resting in the living room." Naruto explained, handing him the cup of ramen.

"Is she not feeling well?"

"No, she's just tired." Naruto said a bit too quickly. "Minato and I are quite a handful."

Kakashi just nodded. "I saw her on the way to the hospital the other day, she seemed a little… I don't know…"

"Off?" Naruto finished for him, his tone serious.

Did he mean more than usual? For five years Sakura had always been a little off.

"Something up?"

Naruto sighed, he knew he could handle this on his own, but at the same time he was a little worried as well, and felt like he needed to talk to someone.

He sat at the other side of the table. "I don't know… she had a nightmare about three nights ago, not one of the usual, it scared the living hell out of her."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "A nightmare?"

Naruto nodded. "It's been re-occurring the last three nights, she won't say anything about it."

"Strange…" Kakashi commented.

Naruto began eating. "I'm sure it's nothing, aren't mothers known to have anxieties after childbirth?"

Kakashi was thoughtful for a minute. "Have you noticed anything around, any stalkers or strange occurrences? Shinobi veterans commonly have trouble turning off their heightened senses... but her anxieties could be warranted."

"No, nothing." Naruto replied, rubbing his eye tiredly.

"Well, just be watchful and trust your instincts, you and Sakura have been through a lot, if you feel that something is threatening you, then you should be on your guard." Kakashi advised. "However, paranoia and worry will only weaken you… I can always keep an eye on both Sakura and Minato during the day hours I have off, if that would ease your mind."

"It would." Naruto replied, his voice lightening a bit. "I'd greatly appreciate it."

Kakashi nodded. "Alright then, have a good rest tonight."

* * *

_"It's time to go, Sakura." Kakashi told her, gently, taking a hold of her shoulders. "There's no one else here."_

_His female student looked tragically beautiful in her black kimono that fell just above her knees, her hair pulled up in an elaboratly braided updo, stray curls teasing the curve of her neck, her face painted with perfect skill. She looked the oldest he had ever seen her, no longer a child with stars in her eyes and sticks and leaves in her hair, she was now a stoic, beautiful warrior wearing black, her hair pinned up with silver, to honor the dead that had fallen on the bloody battlefield she had prevailed from._

_In her arms she did not carry red roses, cala lilies, or orchids as tradition dictated. No, for her lost love, she carried snow white daffodils. They were bright, fragrant, and hopeful, surely not a common flower for the dead. The flowers that outlasted the long winter that Sasuke did not survive. Sakura remained still like one of the stone angels that mourned and guarded the departed around them, and she did not move until Kakashi tried to move her away from the Uchiha crypt._

_"I'll be along soon," she whispered, standing rigid against his hold. "I just need a few more minutes."_

_Kakashi let his hold on her shoulders soften. "A storm's coming in, you can come back tomorrow."_

_She still made no move to leave, and only walked ahead a little toward the tomb, away from her sensei's hold. "Does it ever stop? This pain?"_

_"...No." he answered after a long moment of silence. "It will be with you always."_

_"How do you..."_

_"I mourn the dead, but until my time, my place is with the living." he told her. "As is yours, Sakura."_

_She knelt then, placing her offering of the white flowers on the cold stone steps, but did not rise right away. "We just got him back, Sensei." her voice was soft, as delicate as the white petals she had just placed on the resting place of the Uchiha Clan. "He died on his way back to us."_

_"Perhaps he has found his family, now." Kakashi told her gently, tucking his hands in his pockets and looking skyward, looking for his wayward student. "Maybe, at last, he is at peace."_

* * *

"This is completely and totally unnecessary, Sensei." Sakura said angrily from the kitchen as she made some tea.

Kakashi just rolled his eyes from where he sat in the living room.

He had a feeling Sakura would be this way.

"You told me that I should come over more often to see Minato, Sakura." he replied.

"Yes, see Minato, not baby-sit me!" she exclaimed.

"I'm just visiting." he countered. "Don't make anymore out of it."

Minato was in his swing, swaying beside the couch, where Kakashi sat, quite content with his teething toy. He was gurgling happily and Kakashi found himself smiling at the infant.

"All the more, I don't like you and Naruto making decisions behind my back." she said, walking in with two mugs of tea in her hand.

"We do it for your best interest." Kakashi replied nonchalantly.

She sat in the chair across from him with a huff, setting the tea on the table in between. The second Minato saw his mother walk in he started reaching toward her, squealing in delight.

"Well, hello to you too." she laughed as she reached over and held on to one of his outstretched hands.

"Someone's quite fond of you." Kakashi said with lightness in his tone.

Sakura smiled. "I'm quite fond of him too."

"Almost a month now, right?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura nodded. "This Saturday officially… It feels like yesterday when we brought him home."

Kakashi lightly laughed. "To me, it seems like yesterday when you all made genin… so, you can only imagine how time flies for me."

"Who knows, maybe you'll train Minato too." Sakura said, tickling the baby's feet that were kicking playfully towards her.

"I would like to see his father train him, its important for a boy to have that sort of companionship." Kakashi said.

Sakura nodded in agreement, acknowledging how difficult it must have been for both he and Naruto to grow up without their fathers. For Kakashi, losing Naruto's father, Minato Namikaze, would have been like losing a father all over again, where Naruto didn't even have the privilege of knowing him.

It was quiet for a moment as both parties silently honored the deceased Forth Hokage, he who little Minato was named after.

"You're looking a little better today, are you sleeping better?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura nodded, annoyed at her new self-proclaimed doctor. "Yes better, and Naruto has made me rest during the day as well."

"But, you're still having nightmares?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura had no desire to talk about her dreams, but she knew Kakashi could read through her lies better than most, so again she just nodded.

"Every night?" Kakashi inquired further.

"Yes." she answered quietly.

"I'm not the medic like you, but that does not sound very healthy."

"Well, as a medic, I can assure you that they are just dreams." Sakura pointed out.

"Sakura." Kakashi said in a serious tone, one that she hadn't heard him use since she was about sixteen.

However, few could match Sakura's stubbornness. "I'm sure they'll pass…"

Kakashi looked up to the heavens in annoyance. "And if they don't?"

"They will."

"And will your anxieties just go away with them?" he asked.

A frown tugged on Sakura's lips. She wasn't too thrilled with how much information Naruto was sharing without her consent.

"I'll admit they've made me a bit more jumpy than usual, but there is nothing wrong, I'm sure I'm just imagining things…"

"Have you thought of why they are occurring… I mean, this time of year is close to…"

"No, it doesn't have anything to do with that!" Sakura cut him off sharply, upset he would even bring up such a thing.

Kakashi sighed patiently. "His death has affected us all Sakura, no one would think less of you…"

"Please, don't." she pleaded quietly.

"I only ask, because he has been on my own mind recently." Kakashi told her.

"Sensei, please." her tone was warning now.

Kakashi frowned.

It was just as he thought.

"Sasuke was part of your life Sakura, you can't change that, your mind will be much more at peace…"

"I'm not having this conversation now!" she stood abruptly. "I'm fine."

With that she took her empty mug into the kitchen, ending the conversation.

Kakashi sighed as she walked out and glanced over at little Minato. No matter how well she seemed, how much she had moved on, he was always concerned for Sakura in the matter of losing Sasuke. His death had been traumatic for her, more so than Naruto, and he knew she would carry that burden for the rest of her life. She was healing, but at the expense of the memory of Sasuke being repressed from her mind and unspoken by all around her.

And that was no way to find peace.

He cast his gaze downward. He knew this because he had lived it many times… Sasuke was just the most recent, and perhaps the most difficult, because he had been responsible for him… He saw himself in the boy, and without a doubt would have followed his path if there had been anyone to seek vengeance against for his lost love ones… to which there was no one.

* * *

_"Hey."Naruto said, upon opening the door, looking relieved to see her._

_"Are you okay?" Sakura asked worriedly, taking him in. _

_He was disheveled, tired and his eyes red from tears that he had wiped away, to her dismay, she smelled some alcohol on his breath. "I heard you on my answering machine, you scared me a little."_

_"Yeah, sorry, I know it's late... I just..." he just shook his head. His voice was raspier than usual, if that was possible... He must have been screaming._

_"Thank you for coming."_

_She forced a smile and rubbed his arm affectionately. "Are you going to leave me out here in the cold all night, baka? Or are you going to let me in."_

_He chuckled, though it sounded pained and sad, as he stood aside to allow her access into his home. "Sorry, come in."_

_To her surprise, his apartment was clean. Not overly neat like her own, but it was more orderly than she had ever seen it before. "It looks nice in here."_

_"Yeah, I haven't been sleeping much, so... I needed to do something." he drawled._

_Sakura nodded._

_"Are you hungry?" he asked._

_She wasn't. "Sure."_

_He began to make his way toward his fridge, but staggered in his step a little. "I uh, was drinking a little with Kiba tonight... But, I'm fine though, I don't get drunk."_

_"So I see." Sakura replied, helping him take seat at the small coffee table. "Why don't I whip something up, you can just talk to me, okay?"_

_"Okay." he nodded._

_And talk he did. _

_He talked about everything and anything: his last mission, things he liked and disliked about all their friends, different ramen flavors, his favorite to least favorite, Kakashi, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Iruka, his parents, Team 7, by the time he reached Sasuke he was in tears again, by Hinata he was sobbing._

_Sakura came to stand beside him and held him to her chest as kept apologizing to her, letting the ramen she had prepared for them go cold. _

_After he settled a little, she hoisted him to his feet. "Let's get you to bed."_

_He said nothing as she guided him to his bedroom and then watched her as she pulled back his covers and fluffed his pillow. "Thank you, Sakura."_

_"You've always been there for me, Naruto, there is no need to thank me." she told him sincerely. _

_In the next moment, she felt him standing directly behind her. The kunochi turned in confusion, only to freeze at his close proximity. "Naruto..."_

_Without warning, he took her face in his calloused hands gently pressed his lips against hers. _

_Sakura's eyes widened at the contact, but was too stunned to move as he moved his lips over her desperately. _

_He pulled back, pain still in his eyes. "You're still here, Sakura, you're still here."_

_"I..."_

_He kissed her again, pulling her closer to him as if she was his life line. And, for a moment, Sakura closed her eyes, half-tempted to just pretend, to forget everything for a while... but, she tasted the alcohol on his lips, the saltiness of his tears, and she _couldn't. _Her heart stopped as he tried to lower her down to the bed and she stood firm, pushing against his shoulders, turning away from his kiss... trying to find some sense in the daze of his eyes._

_The blonde blinked then, once, twice, before it dawned on him what he had just done. "Sakura, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done that."_

_"I-It's okay." she found her voice trembling, as she took hold of his shoulders and encouraged him to settle into his bed. "Y-You're just tired, it's fine."_

_"Sakura..." he tried again, still able to see the damage he had caused even in his dazed state._

_"Naruto, I'm fine, we're both a little out of sorts." she reassured. "Just get some sleep, yeah?"_

_His argument died on his lips when his head hit the pillow, his eyes drifting shut almost immediately. Though shaken, Sakura still tucked him in and took care of the dishes, before she put on her coat to head home. _

_Though, as soon as she closed and locked his door behind her, she slide down the outer wall of his building and wept._

* * *

"Damn it!?" Naruto exclaimed, earning a smack from Sakura upside the head. They had just returned home from having dinner at Sakura's parents and Naruto was having a little trouble opening the door.

"Don't swear in front of Minato!" she scolded in a hushed whisper.

"He's asleep!" Naruto hissed back.

"Well, you're going to wake him up with that yelling, and I don't want him freaking out, just because you locked us out."

"I didn't lock us out, I just left the key on the inside…" Naruto moaned at his own stupidity.

"What the hell else would you call that?" she asked.

"Now who's swearing in front of the baby?" Naruto asked, matter-o-factly.

_SWAT!_

"I didn't yell." she said stubbornly.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, okay, I'm going to kick it in."

"You are _not _kicking my door in, just go around and get the spare key."

"We have a spare?" he asked surprised.

Sakura rolled eyes. "Yes, oh great and wise Hokage… it's under the stone turtle on the back patio."

"Oh… Great! Be right back." he said, sprinting away.

Sakura shook her head and snuggled Minato closer to her as he slept in his little bundle of blankets. Alone on the porch, it got quiet immediately, and the darkness made her uneasy, even with the glow of the orange lanterns.

She glanced around worriedly, anxiety washing over her as she sensed someone near again.

A light noise, like the roll of a stone caught her ears and whipped her head toward the street. There she saw a lone shadow figure that stood tall only several feet away. She let out a gasp and prepared to scream as it made a movement toward her, but Naruto opened the front door from the inside making her jump out of her skin instead.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, startled by her reaction.

She opened her mouth to speak, turning back to the streets to point at the ominous being standing in the street, only to find that it had vanished. Her eyes widened, as she turned in all directions, before her eyes fell on her husband, whose dark blue orbs were filled with confusion and concern.

"I… I thought I saw something… or someone." she said in a hurry, looking back down the street. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he pushed her and Minato behind him, into the house.

Sakura watched from the door frame as he stepped out into the streets, listening and searching. After he about a minute, he looked back at her and shook his head.

There was nothing there.

"All's safe." he assured, leading her the rest of the way into the house, however he did another sweep of the area with a narrowed gaze before shutting the door.


	4. Chapter Four: Minato

**::Again::**

**Chapter Four: Minato**

"_What was it like to lose him? It was like hearing every goodbye ever said to me... said all at once."_

_-Lang Leav_

* * *

Sakura awoke from the same nightmare, this one worse than all the others before.

She was glad her tears had fallen silently and had not woken up Naruto again. He was sound asleep peacefully beside her, though she could tell it was lightly for the lack of snoring and sleep talking that he usually practiced during his rem-cycle. After several minutes of calming herself, she wanted to check on Minato, who was in the nursery. Not wanting to wake Naruto up and worry him anymore, she slipped out of the bed silently.

She didn't like when Naruto put Minato in the nursery, even though it was just down the hall from the bedroom, she liked having Minato as close as possible, especially with her nightmares. On her way, she heard a sound that resembled footsteps at the bottom of the stairs and froze, unnerved. She went down two steps to peer at the first floor, her palms shaking slightly as she held tightly to the rail. It was all dark and quiet, with nothing but moonlight filling the rooms.

_Stop this foolishness. _she scolded herself. _You're alone. It's nothing! There's nothing! _

She went back up the stairs and into the nursery, shaking her head at herself. With quiet steps, she approached Minato's crib, where the baby slept as peacefully as his father. Sakura smiled contentedly, tucking his fuzzy blue blanket around him a little tighter. She lingered for a moment to watch her baby sleep, taking comfort in the rise and fall of his chest.

Her eyes widened as she suddenly felt eyes on her back. Eyes that didn't belong to Naruto. She spun her head around to only see the doorway that led to the hall, not a soul there.

She sighed heavily, this time more than agitated with herself.

With a yawn she gave her baby a quick kiss on the forehead, before making her way back to the bedroom. She turned into the hall that had become a little more menacing, as it commonly did to those who traveled their houses in the middle of the night, only to feel a presence once more behind her.

"Sakura." a dark, melodic voice spoke from behind her.

Sakura, in a state of shock, whipped her head around only to face the empty hall again, but this time she knew she wasn't insane, she knew she heard something. Someone calling her... The moment she turned around to wake Naruto, a dark figure fazed directly in front of her, scaring her right out of her skin, and she screamed.

Black eyes met her gaze and Sakura felt her heart stop.

_Sasuke… _

* * *

_"I'm sorry." he said for what seemed to be the hundredth time and Sakura just wanted to tell him then and there that it felt like a kunai in her stomach every time he apologized._

_"Naruto." she said very clearly, as she organized her desk, refusing to meet his gaze. "I told you, you were drunk, you didn't mean to, and that it's fine, please stop telling me you're sorry."_

_"I hurt you." he said simply, hating himself._

_"No." she shook her head. "I'm fine."_

_"Damn it, Sakura, stop saying that!" he snapped at her, making her close her eyes tightly. "You're not! You're suffering and I've hurt you... you can't even look at me!"_

_To prove him wrong, she inclined her head up toward him, meeting his sapphire gaze, even raising her chin a little to counter him. "I said, I'm _fine._"_

_He cursed, gripping his golden hair in strain, looking like he wanted to hit something. "Would you stop it! What the hell is wrong with you?"_

_"I don't know, Naruto, I'm not the one having episode in my office, so you tell me." she shot back. "If you think you've hurt me by a brief touch of the lips when you were intoxicated and grieving, well then that's your damn problem, alright? Because, it didn't hurt me and I'm not holding it against you!"_

_"Well you should!" he cried._

_"What do you want? Do you want me to be angry at you?" she asked incredulously, throwing up her hands._

_"Yes!" he cried, slamming his hands against her desk loudly. "Yes, I want you to be mad... I-I want you to be angry, livid in fact! I want you to yell and scream and cry and stop pushing people away and to stop _repressing _this!"_

_"I'm not..."_

_"Bullshit!" he shouted into her face. "It's bullshit, this isn't you... keeping it all in, keeping a straight face, being isolated... it's not you at all, and I need you Sakura... not this calm, collected, comforting shell you've let yourself grow into, I need _you!"

_She stared at him, her eyes narrowing. "What you're asking me to do is fall apart, and I won't let myself do that."_

_"You know what? You're turning into him." he said lowly._

_That made her freeze... and then recoil as if he had just slapped her across the face. "What did you just say?"_

_Inhaling slowly, he leaned across the desk, making sure she was looking him in the eye. "I said, you're turning into him... You're acting just like, Sasu-"_

_"Don't you dare." she whispered lowly. "Don't you _even _dare."_

_"What? Tell you the truth?" he asked._

_"The truth!?" she rose from her seat. "You want the truth! The truth is that you just want reaction out of me, because I'm not grieving the same way you are! You want fight and cry and scream and get it all out!" she swallowed thickly.__"The truth is you're a mess that's growing more and more difficult for me to comfort, because I don't have a thing left in me to give you. The truth is you kissed me, and it _hurt _because that was my first kiss, and now the only thing I'll remember about it is the taste of my best friend's tears as he grieved for the loved ones we both lost..."_

_Her eyes glistened with pain and sorrow, but she continued.__"The truth is that everyone is staring at me, waiting for me to just fall apart... waiting to come comfort me, when I don't want their comfort!" She choked down a sob. "The truth is that I'm tired of everyone telling what to fucking do and how to fucking grieve... The truth is there is nothing anyone can do to help me, because the truth is that he's gone... because I..." she trembled as the tears began to fall from her eyes, feeling like shards of glass gliding over old wounds. "...Because I couldn't save him."_

_The waves of realization rolled forcefully against her yet again, as she let out a short breath. "I couldn't save him."_

_"Sakura..." Naruto began, reaching out a hand for her._

_He had taken down her walls because he wanted to help her, but now that he had, he wasn't sure what to do or say._

_She moved from his touch against her shoulder, turning as she clung to herself, unable to stop the tears. "Please, just leave me alone!"_

_"I'm sorry!" he cried. "Please, don't shut me out, I just couldn't bare... Sakura, please... I..."_

_"You asked me to not lose myself, Naruto." she said, turning around to face him. "The thing is if break down, if I let myself fall to pieces, do what everyone's begging me to do, I won't get up."_

_He stared at her, blinking back his own tears._

The truth is, that I think I am already lost...

* * *

Naruto's sleep was shattered by Sakura's shrill scream echoing through the halls and the kyuubi vessel flung himself out of his bed without a second thought, his feet padding clumsily into the hallway. "Sakura!" he exclaimed, relieved to find his wife seemingly unharmed, however her back was him, her shoulder blades hiked up as she stood rigid.

"Sakura, what is it?" he asked, but she only began to whip her head around in every direction, as if she hadn't even heard him.

Unnerved, he took cautious steps toward her, placing a hand on her shoulder, making the kunochi jump out of her skin, her head snapping up at him in surprise.

"Naruto..." she breathed out. "I..."

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay." he told her, pulling her into an embrace. He held her tightly, trying to make her feel safe. Why was she trembling so? Did she have another nightmare?

"What happened?" he whispered in her hair.

She trembled so much that her whole body became one big tremor, she tried to speak, but nothing came out except short gasps.

"Hey…hey…" he comforted. "Sakura, I swear to you, that I will never let anything come near you or Minato, _I promise,_ but you need to talk to me… did you have another dream?"

She shook her head against his bare chest, and just sobbed. Sasuke Uchiha. The dead Sasuke Uchiha. The love of her life, the one that caused her the most pain, who's dying face tortured her mind for the last five years. The long, dead, buried, Sasuke Uchiha, who only ever abandoned her… was just standing before her, in the flesh.

His obsidian gaze boring into her very soul.

Naruto pulled her away so that he could see her, despite her resistance, and looked over her face gently. She was pale as a ghost, her eyes wide and red, dark bruises underneath them. She looked so small and frail right then. So vulnerable.

"_Sakura." _his voice pleaded. "I can't see you like this, I can't!"

She knew she was scaring him, but she couldn't voice the words... she couldn't even believe what she just saw, how could he?

"I can't watch you suffer." he finished. "Just, _please,_ tell me."

She looked up and met his sapphire eyes, blinking back tears, trying to regain her composure.

"S…Sasuke." she choked out, feeling the air chill over at the sound of the infamous name alone.

Naruto's eyes suddenly darkened. "What?"

He hadn't heard his wife utter that name in at least three years.

Something within her snapped as she realized just what had taken place. "Sasuke was here! He was right in front of me! Just as close as you are now! He appeared right in front of me and fazed out just seconds before you came!"

Naruto's stare became blank, dumbfounded. "Sakura… that's impossible…"

She grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him. "I know what I saw!"

"It must have been a genjutsu, someone trying to toy with your mind Sakura, it can't be real… it can't!" Naruto tried to reason with himself as much as he tried to reason with her.

It couldn't be true, it just couldn't.

"It wasn't a genjutsu, I know them, they have always been my type, I know the feel of them, even when I can't escape them… He wasn't a genjutsu! He was right in front of me, damn it!" she argued.

"Sasuke is dead, Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed. "He's been dead for five years. You… you know… you watched him die." he said, regretting his words, but knowing he needed to use them to show how foolish she sounded.

She stared at him as if he had slapped her across the face. "But, I-I know what I saw."

"I'm not saying you didn't see something… but it can't be him." he said, his voice quieting as he gently moved his arms up and down her trembling arms.

"But, I _saw_ him." her face fell in defeat as she buried her face in her hands. "…you think I'm crazy."

"Damn it, Sakura! I don't think that!" he snapped. "But, it can't be true, how could it be? He's dead... it's impossible, isn't it?"

She just nodded shortly, giving up, keeping her gaze on the ground. "You're right, it couldn't have been..."

He grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her against him once more. "This isn't you… I know it isn't. I promise, we'll figure this out."

* * *

_It was a hot summer day, and for the first time in years, Sakura actually felt her age. _

_Leaning comfortably against a tree, relishing in the wind that blew around her, there was no work and no responsibility._

_She smiled as she ran a hand through Naruto's unruly blonde hair, that had grown a bit longer over the last two summers they were together. He rested on the dry green grass, his head propped up against her folded lap, his eyes close and senses dull. _

_However, Sakura could tell by his breathing that he was still awake._

_The young kunochi passed the time by taking in the boy's handsome and unique features. His face had grown so much stronger and more angular, making him look like a man instead of a teenager. He had become taller over the years too, much to his delight. He was now at least a head taller than her and made fun of her lack of growth. But that wasn't all that had changed, his tan skin was slightly darker, his muscles more toned, his voice even a little deeper… he had become quite handsome._

_It was funny to her that his looks were the only thing that he didn't brag about, at least never seriously. Which was strange, because he, like her, was a late bloomer as far as looks went. He had always been cute__ but, he had blossomed into a unique kind of beauty over the years.__ Yet, that was the last thing he seemed to notice or think about. In fact, he even seemed insecure about his looks. He was so modest compared to most boys, hardly ever taking off his shirt, or flaunting the physic that he had worked hard to achieve, being rather more on the thin side naturally._

_It was baffling to her, working around a score of other boys who were so egotistical about their attractive features, that Naruto who bragged about his abilities and the deeds he would do no matter the odds, would not flaunt his own. S__he found that was something she cherished about him. No matter how he changed, or what he looked like… he was always Naruto. _

_He didn't care how he looked, but what he did._

_Even now that he was Hokage, at just nineteen… he had never changed. He had the greatest power in the universe at his finger tips, and yet he had tripped over a pebble on their way to the park, whining and moaning like he was five. He even asked her to kiss the bruise on his arm he received from the fall._

_ He would never grow up._

_ He would always be a kid at heart._

_His beauty, inside and out, was like a summer day, so warm and friendly, unchanging…_

_She sighed, relishing in it, letting it comfort and warm her._

_They had both been very busy, with hardly a moment alone together since he was presented as the Seventh__ Hokage. In fact, they were both playing hooky at the moment. Naruto had kidnapped her from her office at the hospital, bringing her to the play ground, their special place. Not secret to the public, but not easily thought of as a hang out for the Hokage and the assistant to the Head Medic. It proved to be a decent hiding place._

_Sakura protested at first... however, with a pile of paperwork stacked to the ceiling in a florescent lit office, on a beautiful day, she was quite the willing victim to be kidnapped to play hooky. __Tsunade would have her head in the morning when she asked for all the medical reports for the rookie genin... oh well._

_She sighed sadly as she noticed the position of the sun, it was well passed noon, and people would be looking for them._

"_We should go." her voice was barely audible._

_Naruto made no movement to her suggestion. "Mmm… a few minutes more." he muttered back quietly, his eyes still closed._

_She rolled her eyes. "Your argument is hard to counter."_

_He just smiled in reply. Enjoying the warmth of the day, and Sakura's cool touch against his warm skin. He knew that if he wanted this to be it, he would have to say something soon. He was running out of time._

_It was quiet for a long while again, far longer than a few more minutes, that had passed by without notice. Sakura had leaned her head against the trunk of the tree and was resting as well, even dozing off a little, as they both silently enjoyed the warmth of the day._

_She noticed absentmindedly, that Naruto's heart had sped up slightly beneath her other hand that had been resting against his chest. She was even more surprised when she felt his own hand cover hers and grip it gently. She looked down at him sleepily, to meet his now opened gaze, that seemed to have been admiring her for a while._

"_Ready now?" she asked teasingly, giving his hand a little squeeze._

"_I hope so." his tone was quiet, and she briefly wondered if he was talking about heading back to work._

_Her light mirth became a little more serious as she realized the intensity of his gaze, that was boring into her very soul._

_Her gaze locked with his, tilting her head. "What are you thinking about?"_

"_You." he replied, reaching his free hand up to brush her bangs away from her face briefly, his callused fingers rough against the soft skin of her face._"… _and me… us."_

_Her eyes widened in surprise._

_Them._

_What about them?_

"_I have been for a while…" he went on, his gaze breaking away from hers nervously._

"_And?" she asked curiously._

_His expression was strained. "Well…"_

_Her eyes were waiting for him expectantly when he returned her gaze again. His determination still imminent._

"_I love you." he said, his voice set._

_She looked confused._

"_Naruto, I know…"_

"_Marry me." he said suddenly._

_ It wasn't a question._

_Sakura froze. Did he just…?_

"_Naruto, I…" she breathed out, at a loss, feeling walls close in around her._

"_Sakura." he said again, cutting her off once more. Taking hold of her face with both his hands, sitting up to be at her level. "Marry me."_

_She stared at him, as he hopefully awaited her reply, but the only thing she could think about was Sasuke, all her precious memories of him flashing before her mind, her heart protesting in agony at the offer. Every moment, every step she had taken forward was suddenly gone. The peace and happiness she had strove so hard for shattered in an instant. _

_Why? It wasn't fair! _

_ Tears gathered in the corner of her eyes as she turned away from him, withholding a strangled sob._

_"...I can't."_

* * *

Sakura swiftly descended the stairway in a panic, after waking up in bed alone.

"Where's Minato?" she asked, seeing Naruto calmly making some breakfast.

"Ino stopped by, she and Sai are taking him for a walk in his stroller." he replied, stirring the eggs he had prepared. "I thought I'd let you get some extra sleep."

The kunochi nodded then and seemed to calm down, but did not look at ease in the slightest.

"Oh." she replied softly.

He watched as she glanced about their cozy house, a place she used to feel so safe. Now, she looked as if she was back in the Forest of Death, awaiting an enemy at every turn.

"Hungry?" he asked her.

Her eyes met his again and she nodded.

"Okay, take a seat…it'll be ready in a second." he told her.

She obeyed and the house grew quiet again. He found himself sighing quietly so that she wouldn't hear. He remembered that it was only a little over a week ago that the mornings he spent with her were full of peace and teasing.

He dreaded what he had to bring up, but he had to do it, he had to figure this out. "I thought that we could also take the time…"

She looked up at him in warning with her pale green eyes.

"…to talk about this."

As he expected, she immediately turned her head away. He bit his lip, he wanted to be careful, knowing that this situation hung by a knife. He carried their plates over and sat across from her so that they faced each other.

"Sakura…" he began.

"What's there to talk about?" she asked. "I'm hallucinating, remember?"

He reached over to take her hand soothingly. She let him, but kept her gaze away. "You know I don't think that."

"What do you think is wrong with me, then?" she snapped.

He hesitated again. She only snapped this coldly when she was truly deeply hurting inside, she knew she resented him for not believing her, and he knew his thoughts would only cause her more distress.

"I think that maybe we should talk about _him._" Naruto said. "I think, the thought of him may be troubling you, and that…"

"Stop, please, alright?" she pleaded, looking back at him sharply. "I'm not some fragile, delicate little girl that is just _upset _or unstable... I saw Sasuke last night, if you want to believe I'm hallucinating, then do so, but don't belittle me!"

Naruto tried to be patient. "I don't think you are weak or delicate, all I'm saying is that, it's normal to have nightmares and such, after experiencing something traumatic like that…"

She shook her head, keeping her gaze on the table. "Just, stop."

"You've repressed so much of your grief, Sakura." Naruto whispered quietly, unwilling to give up. "We don't even talk about him, it's like he's some kind of blasphemy... Maybe this has built up over the years."

If he was honest with himself, witnessing how she had stifled her grief over the years, something like this was a long time coming.

"I don't talk about him, because I don't want to!" she replied, her voice low and breaking.

He gripped her hand more firmly. "Because it's too painful for you."

"How is any of this going to help?" she asked. "Why are you so adamant for me to talk about him?"

"I'm not!" his voice raised slightly. "Do you think I want to talk about him? I know that his memory brings pain… I know what it does to you... what it does to me! But, damn it, Sakura! If you are seeing him in our hallway in the middle of the night, when he's been dead for five years… I think it's about time we hash it out."

"You said it yourself, he couldn't have been real!" she retorted, bitterness in her voice. "So, you can skip the intervention."

"That is not the point!" Naruto told her. "When we married each other, it was to start a new beginning, and a family, to move on from that battlefield, that is what we promised each other! But, you have_ never_ moved on from him, you have never let yourself heal!"

"I have moved on…"

"No, you haven't!" Naruto snapped at her. "You can pretend all you like, but he was a part of your life, you _loved _him." he continued. "That isn't just something you bury under a rock… that isn't something that just goes away, and I would be selfish if I continued to support you repressing everything."

She looked at him in shock, when suddenly tears began to fall without her consent. "I love _you._" she told him determinedly, choking on a sob.

He looked away from her this time, past emotions bitterly entering his being.

"I know that, Sakura." he said. "But, I also understand… he was my best friend and that has never faded away… So, I can only imagine how difficult it would be for you to have to let him go."

* * *

_Naruto stood on the balcony, slouched against the wall beside her sliding glass door. He let out a long and heavy sigh. He could feel her presence, her breathing on the other side of the wall._

_He missed her._

_He crossed his arms and inhaled deeply, trying to decide if he would do what he really wanted and barge in there, putting an end to all this, or if he would just stay out there all night as he had done for the last two nights._

_He groaned as he shuffled his feet, glancing sadly at the light that outstretched from her bedroom. How long would this go on? What were they now? Was he going to lose her too._

_Fed up, he wasn't going to let it continue._

_He gently lifted his fist and tapped the back of his hand to the glass, without moving from his perch. He shut his eyes tight in apprehension as he heard her shift, stand and gently tiptoe to the door. He held his breath as she stopped at the door, her shadow stretching over the balcony._

_About a whole minute later, she slid the door open gingerly and stepped out into the cool patio, her eyes met his and he gave her a sad smile._

_"Hi." he murmured._

_She looked a little disheveled, her shoulder length hair messy, her makeshift pajamas slanted and baggy. But, she somehow as stunning as ever to him. Her eyes mirrored his own, miserable and tired._

_"Hi." she whispered back, the air cold on her skin._

_It was quiet as the breeze swirled around them, ruffling their hair and clothing, and for a long while they said nothing at all._

_"Is it over?" he asked her softly, preparing himself._

_She was quiet for a long time as she stared into his sapphire eyes, unsure what to say or do. "...If that's what you want."_

_"It's not." he told her firmly. "I don't want to go through this life alone, Sakura, in constant misery and I know you don't either!"_

_"..."_

_"I know you don't love me the way I love you, but I think you could learn to over time, I would do anything to make you happy." he assured her, taking her by the shoulders. "Don't you want to start a new beginning, don't you want the suffering to end?"_

_"I'm not ready to get married, Naruto." she told him softly. "I don't know..."_

_"Sakura, don't you ever want a family?" he asked her. "Children?"_

_She cast her gaze downward thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding slowly, unable to deny how much her heart longed to be a mother._

_"So, marry me." he told her, lifting her chin up so she could see him. "I mean we have a chance at happiness, don't we? We shouldn't cast it aside. There's nothing left for us than to move forward, shouldn't we do that together like we've always done?"_

_She stared into her eyes, and realized he was right. _

_There was nothing else to hold onto or wait for, all they had was each other, and that's how it would always be. The ones they loved were gone and he was her only chance at happiness now, a chance she could not afford to let pass her by._

_"Okay." she whispered._

_"What?" he asked, not quite hearing her._

_"I said 'okay', Naruto." she spoke up. "Okay, I'll marry you."_

_He grinned then, tears rimming the corners of his eyes as he pulled her into an embrace, kissing the top of her head. Her answer was so painful, yet so wonderful too. _

_"Thank you, Sakura."_


	5. Chapter Five: Sasuke

**::Again::**

**Chapter Five: Sasuke**

_"And I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you." _

_The Chaos of Stars_

* * *

"Thanks, Ino, Sai." Naruto said gratefully, taking Minato back into his arms. The young couple had offered to take the infant for a stroll through the village to give the Hokage and his wife a break. It was good practice for them, as Ino was four months pregnant herself.

Ino just beamed, as she parked the stroller on the porch. "No trouble at all, Naruto."

"Is Sakura alright?" Sai asked.

"Better," Naruto told them. "The little bug going around really got to her."

Ino nodded, looking relieved. "Good, I've got to head back to the shop now, but Sai and I will check in later."

"I'm sure she'll like that, see you guys around." Naruto replied, waving as the blonde kunochi and her dark-haired boyfriend departed. Minato gurgled happily at his father and Naruto smiled down at him.

"You make everything a little brighter, you know that, little man?" he said, before taking him back into the house. However, before he closed the door, a strange presence seemed to gather behind him. He looked back over his shoulder. The day had suddenly become cloudy, and he nearly jumped when he saw a shadow make a move, faster than his eye could follow.

He blinked and looked again, nothing was there.

_What the hell is happening?_

* * *

_"You're shivering." he whispered, as she felt him take hold of her shoulders. _

_Sakura stared ahead into the room arrayed in candle light and decorated elaborately with fragrant red roses, the atmosphere was the epitome of romantic, yet she felt dizzy and suddenly frightened._

_ How ridiculous, _she _was frightened of Naruto. _

_"I'm just cold." she told him._

_His hands moved slowly from her shoulders, down the white silk of her bridal kimono, to her bent elbows. He leaned into her ear. "It's okay to be nervous." _

_"I'm not." she replied, inhaling deeply before turning around to face him. _

_Her _husband.

_The young Hokage took his bride in, trying to read every little detail of her, to make sure he was not making her doing something she did not want. "If you're not ready, Sakura, we... we don't have to do anything tonight."_

_"I don't know... I just..." she couldn't explain, she had no idea how to explain what she was feeling inside. Their wedding was beautiful, no, it was perfect. There wasn't a girl alive who could have dreamed up such a large, joyous, extravagant wedding, nor could they ask for a more handsome and loving husband waiting at the end the aisle... yet all she could ask herself the entire time if she was doing the right thing, all she could feel was torn within herself because of her love for someone else. Someone dead and long buried. _

He's gone. _she had to repeat over and over again, to her distress. _He's gone. _Just to get through the ceremony and reception. How ungrateful and terrible she was..._

_"I don't deserve you." Sakura told him, her jade eyes falling to the bedroom floor, as tears threatened to fall. "You're so good and loving to me... and I don't deserve you." _

_Naruto took her face into his hands gently, bringing her gaze back to his. "You're always so cruel to yourself." _

_She stared into the vast ocean of his eyes, bringing her hands up to his forearms, gripping unto them to anchor herself. _

_He kissed her forehead, right over her seal, and she had to mentally stop herself from letting her mind remember the touch of two rough fingers brushing their skin there. _

_"You deserve to be happy, Sakura." he whispered. "I want to make you happy." _

_She closed her eyes as his hands fell to her waist, pulling her close to him, bringing his lips close to hers. "Won't you let me?" _

_He kissed her then, and she let herself get lost in him gentle touch, let him lead her back into the bed and lower her down unto the soft mattress. He pulled away, his eyes soft as he admired her. "Let me fill the emptiness you're feeling, Sakura, let me make you whole again." he pleaded, his lips finding hers once more._

Then maybe, I won't be so lonely anymore either.

* * *

"Hey, little man, look who's up." Naruto exclaimed softly as he carried Minato into the living room, where Sakura had arisen from the couch, her hair sticking up in all directions. "It's mom!"

The baby gurgled excitedly, making Sakura smile as she held out her arms to hold him.

"I think someone's hungry." Naruto acknowledged.

"I think your right," Sakura agreed, undoing the top buttons on her shirt to let her child nurse. "Were you a good boy for Aunty Ino and Uncle Sai?"

"They had no complaints." Naruto told her, taking a seat in the chair next to the couch.

"Good." Sakura leaned back against the couch once Minato latched onto her and was feeding comfortably.

Naruto watched the tender moment in silence for a long while, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "It's insane how much I love him."

Sakura nodded knowingly in agreement, her eyes watching over her son lovingly. "I know, it's unfathomable."

"...Are you sure about going back to work?" he asked her carefully. "If you'd rather stay home with him, I can make different arrangements. I am the Hokage, you know?"

"I'm sure." Sakura replied softly, the thought saddening her a little. "If I don't get back at it, I probably never will... It'll only be a few days a week at first."

"You're sure you're up for that?" Naruto asked her.

Sakura sighed, turning her gaze toward the ceiling, too tired to even argue.

Naruto rose from his seat and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Sorry, I didn't mean..."

"I know." she replied. "I know... I can't just _stop_ because of what's happened... because of these inklings."

"What inklings?" Naruto asked her, moving to sit beside her. "Come on, tell me."

"I feel like..." she couldn't fully explain it. "Like something terrible is going to happen. I don't know how or why... I just can't shake it."

"No it won't." Naruto told her. "I won't let anything bad happen to you, to either of you."

"I know." Sakura whispered, taking his hand into her own. "I know."

* * *

_"We're going out." he said immediately upon her opening the door of her apartment. _

_"Wha..." her mouth hung open in confusion at his sudden arrival and decree. _

_"I said, 'We're going out'." he repeated firmly. "You've been up here for days, only coming down to work your shifts, you won't talk to Kakashi, Tsunade, Ino, or me. I'm fed up with it and we're going out. That's an order from the next Hokage." _

_She stared at him incredulously. _

_The last time they had spoken was almost two weeks ago when he came to her office and tried to apologize for his drunken kiss, which ended up with both of them blowing up on each other. _

_She figured they would make amends eventually, they never were able to stay mad at each other for long... but, she certainly wasn't expecting this. _

_"You need to come out eventually, Sakura." Naruto told her. "I'm not moving on without you... You never leave your teammate behind, right?" _

_She stared at him, long and hard... still hurt by his words from the last time they had spoken. _

_"The things you said..."  
_

_"I'm sorry." he apologized. "I was... not in a good place. Hell, I'm still not in a good place... I don't know when I will, if I ever will. But, I'm willing to start looking and I want you to look with me because I know you aren't either." _

_She stared hesitantly at his outstretched hand. _

_"What do you say?" _

_Inhaling deeply, she took his hand. "You're paying." _

* * *

"Will the girl be alright?" Kakashi asked Sakura as she packed up her medical supplies.

"She'll just need a few days rest." the healer replied, pulling her backpack over her shoulders. Waving after the Jonin and the genin squad who carried on with their mission. "I suppose you are to escort me home as well, since you felt the sudden need to join me on this call."

"I happened to be heading in the same direction." Kakashi replied. "I think Naruto could go about his day easier knowing you had someone with you."

"I think it's my first day off of leave, and you both still think I'm not stable enough to handle myself." she replied, walking ahead of him down the forest path.

"Just because people are concerned for you, does not mean they think you weak." Kakashi replied. "There is nothing wrong with getting some help some time."

She did not reply, and instead just shook her head at him. She wasn't so much angry with her sensei, but with the situation itself. She tried desperately to dismiss the memory of Sasuke standing before her that night, to dismiss the encounter as a dream of her own conjuring... as Naruto believed it be. Because it was impossible, Sasuke was gone and nothing she did would ever change that.

Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong... that something terrible was about to happen... the feeling kept resurfacing, no matter how hard she tried to drown it.

"Anymore dreams?" Kakashi asked her.

"No." she replied shortly. "It's been two weeks since any nightmares, they passed just as I said... I'm _fine_, now pick up your feet, Sensei, I want to get home to my son."

Kakashi smirked beneath his mask. "I'm sure he's having a good time with Uncle Shikamaru, Aunt Temari and little Shikadai."

"I'm sure he is, but I'm missing him." she replied.

They walked in companionable silence, but Sakura could feel her mentor's gaze on her, evaluating her, like he had done on the entire emergency call.

"I know it's none of my business, but you and Naruto seem distant with each other." he commented cautiously.

"You're right, it's isn't any of your business." Sakura replied. "But we're fine, we just have a little bit of an indifference at the moment."

"Would that 'indifference' have anything to do with your general well-being, because I think I would have to take his side on the matter."

"When don't you?" Sakura muttered, picking up her pace to put some good distance between them.

"Sakura, accepting some solace from others won't hurt you." Kakashi following after her. "You've been a pillar for so many through their pain. You have friends and husband who loves you very much, you should know better than anyone how hurtful it is when you don't let anyone in."

"Trust me, I..." Sakura stood on edge then, suddenly, feeling the hairs on the back of her head stick up. "Sensei..."

Before Kakashi could take an offensive position, a kunai flew at him, followed by a ninja. The copy-nin leaped out of the way to avoid the assault, but the aggressive attacker was hot in pursuit. Sakura reached for her holster, took several kunai in her hand and moved to aid him, only to have another shinobi appear before her.

He wore a mask and a scratched Hidden Mist forehead protector, his eyes pale blue, almost white.

Channeling her chakra into her fist, Sakura charged for him, determined to take the offensive, but this ninja was quick, too quick, and dodged her blow. In an instant he was above her, and she was quick to turn. Attack after counter-attack followed, and Kakashi and the other enemy ninja were no were in sight.

Finally, Sakura found her opening and was about to strike the rogue in his ribs, to damage him beyond repair... but to her surprise,, he caught her wrist and she could feel it fracture against the pressure of his hold.

He was strong, like her.

In a panic, she swung her other hand toward his face, but he caught that fist up as well, swinging her roughly into a tree, cracking several ribs. Sakura let out a cry as she fell to the earth.

Who was he?

He seemed to be an opponent _made _to counteract her strengths.

She tried to rise, her Strength of a Hundred Seal enveloping her in a healing embrace, but the ninja caught her up around her neck, lifting her up against the tree.

She gasped for breath, struggling against his iron grip.

"I've been preparing to face you for a long time, kunochi, it was said you were once indestructible... though it seems that you've been out of practice, I suppose one grows soft after just giving birth."

"Who...?" she choked out, in panic and confusion.

"I was sent to kill you by Orochimaru, does that name mean anything to you?" The ninja asked, tilting his head. "You're a wrench in his gears that needs to be disposed of."

Sakura's eyes widened. So that snake was still alive...What on earth did he want?

"He supplied me with this." he told her, producing a syringe of black liquid from his holster. "He said that no matter what I did, you would just heal yourself with that seal of yours, so he conjured this up just for you. You should be honored."

Sakura stared in horror at the black poison, she didn't recognize it... it was not any of the poisons she had built an immunity to.

She bucked,trying to free herself.

"Don't worry, kunochi, it will be painless."

Thinking fast, Sakura hoisted her legs swiftly around the masked ninja's outstretched grip, and used her heel to jab the pressure point of his elbow. He let out a cry dropping her from his hold. Sakura struggled to her feet to retreat.

However, the ninja was quick to recover, this time enraged, tackling her to the ground, pinning her against the rough forest floor.

"A pretty little minx, you are, kunochi." he hissed in her ear. "Such a shame."

Sakura quickly gripped a fallen kunai and sent into her attackers shoulder, making him reel back in pain. To her relief, the syringe flew from his hand, shattering against a stone.

Before she threw him off her, however, she felt a sharp pain in her side as he managed to thrust a dagger in between her ribs.

She bit her lip to hold back a cry as she hunched over in pain.

It wasn't a deep wound... she could heal it in no time, she reached down and pulled the offending weapon from her waist, slipping it out of her flesh with ease as blood began to dampen her flak jacket.

"Little bitch." she heard the ninja rasp as he rose, hand clutching his shoulder.

Sakura tried to stand to ward off his next attack, but she faltered, stumbling to the floor.

She was losing feeling in her legs, her tongue was going numb.

_No._ she thought in dread, looking at the ninja's kunai still in her hand, the red of her blood mixing with a think syrup like substance. The kunai... it was laced with the poison.

"Damn it." she managed to choke out as her entire weight collapsed down against the earth, her gaze was darkening as she saw only her attacker's sandaled feet approach her.

"I want you to know, kunochi, I really do consider this an honor." he spoke, his voice sickly sweet. "Shame you aren't at your full potential."

Unable to move, she awaited his blow, closing her eyes tightly. _Naruto, Minato... I'm sorry... _

Suddenly, her ears were filled with sound of birds.

Hundreds, no thousands of birds...

_Chidori?_

_ Sensei? _

The familiar screeching sound was the last thing she could remember before she spiraled into unconsciousness.

* * *

Sakura awoke violently, her body lurching forward as if she had nearly drowned below the depths of the ocean. She tried to scream out, but her voice was nothing but a dry, helpless rasp. She spoke the first thing that came to her mind.

"Minato..."

Strong, sure hands took hold of her shoulders, keeping her in place as she thrashed around in fear in confusion. "It's alright, you're safe." a deep voice spoke softly. "You're injured and you've been poisoned."

She let out a shaky breath, trying to get a hold of herself... but she couldn't stop shaking. She was cold, so cold... freezing in fact. It was like ice water was pulsing through her veins, stinging her skin like needles.

"C-cold." she choked out, opening her eyes.

White light was all that she could make out in her blurred line of sight, before a silhouette hovered above her. She blinked, her vision watery, before she was able to make out her rescuer. For a moment, she saw a concerned and annoyed genin boy, with dark hair and black eyes, staring down at her expectantly... a faded memory...but then she blinked again. Above her the boy was now a man, a painfully handsome and familiar young man, who watched over her, looking broken and sad. So, painfully sad.

"Sasuke?" she asked, trying desperately to stay conscious.

_Am I dreaming again? _

The sound of his name seemed to pain him more as he reached out to her, placing a hand against the side of her face. She inhaled sharply, his skin felt cold against her... she vaguely remembered that the feel of Sasuke's skin had always been warm when they were kids. Why was it now so cold?

"You have a fever." he told her, his voice a low whisper.

"Do I?" she replied dazedly, her gaze moving to stare above into what appeared to be the dome of a cavern, a fire's light dancing against the stone. "That explains why you're here, I'm delirious."

He smiled lightly at that, though the pain was still in his eyes. How long had it been since she had seen Sasuke Uchiha smile? She couldn't help but think. Nine years?

"Go back to sleep, Sakura." he commanded gently. "You're safe."

"You can't be here." she heard herself breathe. "You're gone, you...you died."

"Sleep, Sakura." he repeated. "Think about your home... think about your son."

The kunochi tried to do as he said, closing her eyes and thinking of the small baby that shared her eyes, her jade eyes and his father's golden hair. The reason she got up in the morning, the reason she stayed strong and kept moving forward.

"Are they alright?" she asked, feeling the void take hold, waves of dizziness washing over her. "Tell me they're safe."

"They're safe, I sent Kakashi for them." he promised, and she believed him. "Just sleep."

Closing her eyes, darkness took over her again, cradling her this time instead of tormenting her.

* * *

"Sensei?" Naruto asked, rising from his desk, his heart skipping a beat when Sakura did not follow after him.

Kakashi was before his desk in a split second. "Naruto, we have to hurry, we need get Minato out of here."

* * *

_He watched her, entranced from his side of the bed, as she placed a hand on her swollen stomach. She was about eight months pregnant with their child._

_Naruto had never seen her look so beautiful. Her hair, that had grown long over the last few years, was shining brightly. She wore it in a braid that fell down the side of her shoulder. Her emerald eyes were bright, and soft curves filled out. This was the first time in years he had ever seen her this happy, she was smiling often, even humming to herself._

_The first few years hadn't been easy. _

_It wasn't ideal to be the second choice... the last resort... and that's what they both were to each other and they both knew it. _

_He knew she wasn't fully certain if she had made the right decision, agreeing to marry him... and for a while he was beginning to feel the same. He had always loved her, and he had thought he had always wanted this, but he couldn't deny the void he still felt in his heart... The feeling of regret that he couldn't explain, couldn't understand._

_ But, then she told him she was pregnant, and everything changed. _

_For the first time, there was a light on his horizon. There was hope for a happy future. He just knew that they would be alright, he just knew that a child would mend their broken hearts and only strengthen their bond. _

"_You're beautiful." he said to her, because it was true, and reached out to let his backhand gently brush against her face. _

_She smiled softly in reply, but then her expression saddened slightly as she turned her gaze back to the unborn baby that grew within her._

"_What's wrong?" he asked. _

"_It's nothing…" she said. _

"_Sakura." his voice pleaded with her. _

_Her eyes looked at him worriedly. "It's just… Do you think I'll be a good mother?"_

_Was that it? He almost scoffed that she would think otherwise. _

"_Of course you will!" he exclaimed. "Why wouldn't you be?"_

"_I don't know." she shrugged. "I just don't know if I'm ready." _

_He laughed at that. "No one's ever ready."_

_She didn't laugh, she was still concerned. _

_He sighed, still amused at her ridiculous doubts, and pulled her for a quick kiss. "Sakura, you're going to be the best mother in the world… you are so in love with the baby already, I've never seen you more happy than during these last few months… this kid will have more love than anyone." he placed a hand tenderly over her stomach. "This baby is our new beginning."_

* * *

When Sakura woke the second time, she had a hand pressed up against her forehead, than down to the side of her face, it felt like ice against her. She heard a shuddered breath, and blinked her eyes open, just as her rescuer began to unzip the top of her uniform and then began to push it off her.

"What are you doing?" she gasped out, moving her hands in a weak attempt to stop him.

"Your fever's getting worse." Sasuke explained to her, his voice was calm, but his hands were shaking as he stripped her down to only her shorts and chest bindings. "I have to move you, can you stand?"

She shook her head weakly, tears welling in her eyes at what she suddenly realized. "I can't feel my legs."

"It's going to be alright." he promised softly, sensing her distress. He startled her as he gently took her into his arms and lifted her from the ground. A wave of dizziness took over her then, at the sudden motion, making her head fall against his chest, a groan escaping her lips. He smelled like the forest outside and the smoke of the fire last night.

"Stay awake, Sakura." he told her, as her eyes started to drift shut on him. "Don't fall asleep on me."

"I have to get back to them." she told him, fighting the weight of her heavy eyelids as he moved swiftly with her through the cavern. Her head was pounding, her fractured ribs and knife wound aching painfully, the lower half of her body numb, and she was so damn cold. "I have to get back to my son, he's just three months, he's still so small, he needs me..."

"...You'll be with him soon." she heard him whisper. "Stay awake.

Sakura then heard the sound of water, and craned her head to see where Sasuke had taken her. A waterfall plummeted heavily into the cave, from the surface, into a small, but deep, pool of water. Knowing exactly what he was going to do, she tensed up in his hold.

"Relax." he told her as his legs began their descent into the cool, clear water. "Hold on to me."

She obeyed, her arms winding more securely around his neck, clutching the matieral of his black vest, as he slowly began to wade into the pool until the water was up to his waist, lapping up against her back. Though she was sure it was barely cool, it felt like ice agianst her bare skin.

"Are you ready?" he asked her, seeing the strain on her face.

Sakura nodded shortly in reply.

"Deep breath." he commanded, to which she complied, and he lowered her gently into the pool, keeping a tight hold of her as he tilted her legs in first, than upper body.

Sakura let out a short gasp, her nails digging into his skin at the feel of the cold water, but soon it didn't feel so cold, it began to feel tolerable... soothing even. She was in up to her shoulders, and Sasuke began to tilt her head toward the water.

"Lean back," he murmured. "Hold your breath."

She nodded in understanding, taking a deep breath, lifting her chin and closing her eyes as he drew his hand to the base of her neck and submerged her completely into the pool, before quickly and gently pulling her back up to him.

Sakura resurfaced with a breathy cry, shuddering as she clung onto him tightly, seeking warmth. She was trembling, her teeth chattering.

"Easy." he murmured softly to her again, repeating it over and over again as he moved both of them out of the pool. He let out the breath he had been holding. "I've got you."

* * *

"Sensei, what the hell is going on?" Naruto asked, taking Minato into his arms from Temari. "Where is Sakura?"

"There is no time to explain." Kakashi told him, turning to Shikamaru who sat quietly on the sofa evaluating the situation. "You'll need to stand in for Naruto until I radio you, it's essential I get him and Minato out of the village."

Shikamaru exchanged a glance with his wife before nodding in agreement. "Should we be worried about something?"

"An attack from Sound is coming for Naruto and the baby, I need to get them somewhere safe and move their target from the village." Kakashi replied.

Temari moved then, packing up Minato's essential care items for Naruto, as the Hokage put the baby's carrier over his shoulders.

"Sound?" Shikamaru's gaze narrowed in confusion. "Orochimaru has been dormant for years."

"Well, he's returned, and he's after Naruto and his family." Kakashi explained to him. "I'll explain more when I get them to a secure location, but we have to move now."

"Where is Sakura?" Naruto asked again as Temari helped strap Minato to him.

"...She's safe, but we had to separate." Kakashi told him. "She's going to meet us where I'm taking you."

Naruto said nothing more, but knew his sensei was not telling him the whole truth.

* * *

"I watched you die." Sakura said quietly, staring at the cavern ceiling, wrapped up in Sasuke's cloak and sleeping bag as night fell. Her fever had broken, some hours ago, and with her body free of the poison, her chakra was slowly starting to return to her. "I watched them bury you... how are you here?"

Sasuke looked up from his task of tending the small fire that warded the chill, dampness and darkness of the cave. He thought she had still been sleeping. "I was revived." he answered simply, rising and coming beside her with his canteen.

"How?" she asked softly.

"Orochimaru," he explained, hoisting her up into a sitting position as he handed her the canteen to drink. "He stole my body shortly after the war to try and obtain the sharingan... He forced several healers to try and revive me using a life-transferring jutsu... it transfers one's life force for another."

Sakura nodded, remembering the death of Lady Chiyo. "I know, I've seen it before. Few know of it... and most can't manage to perform it successfully because of the amount of chakra it takes."

"Kabuto was the only one who managed to complete it successfully." Sasuke told her. "The rest... they all died for no reason... died as disposable tools for Orochimaru."

Sakura searched his onyx eyes... no longer did they burn with determination and strength she remembered, they were dulled with pain and submission... as if all the fire in him had burned out long ago...

"What did he do to you, Sasuke?" she asked, feeling her throat restrict at her own question.

He did not respond and instead propped her up against the wall of the cave, moving back to the fire.

"Drink." he told her. "Your body's still dehydrated."

She obeyed and brought the canteen to her lips and let the water glide down her throat, she didn't realize how thirsty she was until the liquid touched her lips and took several gulps. She watched him, feeling her eyes dampen as she fully began to come to turns with what was happening. "How long?"

He kept his back to her as he tossed another log on the fire. "Three years."

She closed her eyes tightly, biting her lower lip... whatever pain and torment he refused to voice to her, he had endured while they had all carried on with their lives, thinking he was dead. "W-why didn't you come back?"

"I did." he said quietly. "...there was nothing there for me."


End file.
